WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Taal Volcano in the province of Batangas was placed under Alert Level 3 on July 1, after a phreatomagmatic eruption occurred. Weak phreatomagmatic bursts and high levels of sulfur dioxide emissions, among others, were observed in the days that followed.
The unrest gradually decreased within July, prompting the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology to downgrade Taal Volcano to Alert Level 2 on July 23. But Phivolcs stressed that the threat of an eruption has not disappeared.
Bookmark this page for Phivolcs bulletins, information on government response, updates about evacuations, and other crucial information about Taal Volcano.
LATEST UPDATES
Phivolcs bulletin, December 21, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Tuesday, December 21:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 8,321 tons per day on Monday, December 20
● Volcanic earthquakes: none in past 24-hour period, but low-level background tremor has persisted since July 7
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 900 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 20, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Monday, December 20:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,590 tons per day on Wednesday, December 15 (last available data)
● Volcanic earthquakes: none in past 24-hour period, but low-level background tremor has persisted since July 7
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 300 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 19, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Sunday, December 19:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,590 tons per day on Wednesday, December 15 (last available data)
● Volcanic earthquakes: 41 volcanic tremor events in past 24-hour period, lasting 1 to 15 minutes. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since July 7.
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 300 meters tall, drifting south-southwest
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 18, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Saturday, December 18:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,590 tons per day on Wednesday, December 15 (last available data)
● Volcanic earthquakes: 42 volcanic tremor events in past 24-hour period, lasting 2 to 39 minutes. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since July 7.
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 17, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Friday, December 17:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,590 tons per day on Wednesday, December 15 (no data given for Thursday, December 16)
● Volcanic earthquakes: 55 in past 24-hour period, including 54 volcanic tremor events lasting 2 to 41 minutes and 1 low-frequency volcanic earthquake. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since July 7.
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 16, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Thursday, December 16:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,590 tons per day on Wednesday, December 15
● Volcanic earthquakes: 139 in past 24-hour period, including 114 volcanic tremor events lasting 2 to 32 minutes and 25 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since July 7.
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 900 meters tall, drifting southwest
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 15, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Wednesday, December 15:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,847 tons per day on Monday, December 13 (no data given for Tuesday, December 14)
● Volcanic earthquakes: 38 in past 24-hour period, including 36 volcanic tremor events lasting 2 to 102 minutes and 2 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since July 7.
● Main Crater Lake activity: upwelling of hot volcanic fluids which generated plumes 20 meters tall, drifting west-northwest
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 14, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Tuesday, December 14:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,847 tons per day on Monday, December 13
● Volcanic earthquakes: 53 in past 24-hour period, including 47 volcanic tremor events lasting 2 to 56 minutes, 5 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, and 1 volcano-tectonic earthquake. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since July 7.
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 13, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Monday, December 13:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,375 tons per day on Friday, December 10 (last data given)
● Volcanic earthquakes: 99 in past 24-hour period, including 97 volcanic tremor events lasting 2 to 32 minutes and 2 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since July 7.
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas
Phivolcs bulletin, December 12, 8 am
Phivolcs reported the following in its Taal Volcano bulletin issued at 8 am on Sunday, December 12:
● Sulfur dioxide emission: 3,375 tons per day on Friday, December 10 (no data given for Saturday, December 11)
● Volcanic earthquakes: 91 in past 24-hour period, including 90 volcanic tremor events lasting 2 to 30 minutes. Low-level background tremor has also persisted since July 7.
● Ground deformation: Taal Volcano Island and the Taal region began deflating in October
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2. Phivolcs reminded the public that the following could still occur:
● sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions
● volcanic earthquakes
● minor ashfall
● lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas