Higher alert level seen if Taal’s unrest persists

MANILA, Philippines — State seismologists are ready to increase the alert level on Taal if the volcano’s abnormal activity persists.

Teresito Bacolcol, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, yesterday said Phivolcs might decide to raise the alert level from 1 to 2, if the volcano’s phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions would continue.

A minor phreatomagmatic activity occurred in Taal before noon on Saturday, which lasted four minutes.

“If there will be more occurrences of phreatomagmatic eruptions, volcanic earthquakes, ground inflations and sulfur dioxide emissions, we can raise the alert from Level 1 to 2. For now, we seldom monitor earthquakes. We have to assess the situation on a day-to-day basis,” Bacolcol said.

He said phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions occur because of the presence of water inside the volcano.

“There is water even at the crater. We can expect phreatic or phreatomagmatic eruptions every now and then,” he said. “Even at alert Level zero, we can experience phreatic or phreatomagmatic eruptions.”

People have been told to avoid going to Taal Volcano Island and stay away from the permanent danger zone

Meanwhile, Bacolcol said Mayon in Albay and Kanlaon in Negros remain under alert Levels 1 and 2, respectively.