Phivolcs warns of possible Taal Volcano eruptions but says not as serious as January 2020 incident

CNN – Published May 19, 2021 4:52:29 PM

Metro Manila — With recurring “elevated unrest” observed at Taal Volcano, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has warned of possible explosions which may threaten areas within and around the volcano island.

Phivolcs volcano monitoring chief Mariton Bornas said the agency has recorded frequent volcanic earthquakes at Taal, the country’s second most active volcano, since they raised the Alert Level 2 in March. These, she explained, are low-frequency events which indicate movement of magma beneath the volcano.

“Ibig sabihin na anytime maaari tayong magkaroon ng phreatic o maliliit na phreatomagmatic eruptions diyan sa Taal Volcano island,” she told CNN Philippines’ Balitaan on Wednesday.

[Translation: This means anytime, we may have phreatic or small phreatomagmatic eruptions at the Taal Volcano island.]

Phreatic explosions are stream-driven and can emit volcanic gas, which is a hazard.

“Ang phreatic po, ibig sabihin po nito naiinitan lang o nakukuluan lamang ‘yung tubig sa ibabaw ng bulkan,” Bornas said. “So ‘yung nakuluan lamang po na tubig nagiging steam, ito po ‘yung pumuputok.”

[Translation: Phreatic means the boiling water on the surface of the volcano causes steam, which is what generates an explosion.]

Phreatomagmatic eruptions, on the other hand, result from magma or lava coming into contact with water. Bornas said these can cause violent explosions.

The Phivolcs official noted, however, that the explosions which may occur are expected to be less intense than the January 2020 magmatic eruption.

“Sa kalagayan po ngayon ng Taal, itong magiging pagsabog na ito ay hindi po kasing lakas noong January 12, dahil hindi naman po masyadong pressurized ang ating magma at naibsan na po ang volcanic gas. Marami na siyang nailabas,” she explained.

[Translation: Based on the current situation at Taal, the possible eruptions wouldn’t be as strong as the January 12 incident, because the magma isn’t as pressurized, and there isn’t as much volcanic gas. It was already able to release a lot of gas.]

But even so, caution is still strongly advised, as Bornas warned phreatomagmatic eruptions can create base surges, or a horizontal movement of hot gases, volcanic fragments and ash. These can be highly destructive to those within the volcano island and can also affect nearby areas.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin released Wednesday, Phivolcs said 102 volcanic earthquakes were recorded by the Taal Volcano Network over the past 24-hour period. The volcano had also emitted 300-meter tall but “weak” plumes, and sulfur dioxide emission remains high, averaging at 3,256 tonnes per day on May 18.

Phivolcs has recommended that entry into the island and Taal’s permanent danger zone must be strictly prohibited. Pilots are also advised to avoid flying close to the volcano as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and wind-remobilized ash may pose hazards to the aircraft.

SOURCE: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/5/19/taal-volcano-elevated-unrest.html???