Phivolcs lowers Taal Volcano Alert Level

This beauty harbors a danger within.

Talisay, Batangas – Will tourists dare go back to the volcano island? At least two months after observing lowered volcanic activities, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has lowered on August 2 the alert level status of Taal Volcano from 2 to 1.      The Phivolcs, however advised that the main crater should remain “off-limits” to the public as the risk of sudden steam explosions could still occur and high concentrations of toxic gases may accumulate.
     In an August 2 bulletin published in its website, Phivolcs said it observed that eight weeks after the volcano’s status was raised to Alert Level 2, it recorded a lower number of volcanic quakes on a daily basis since the second week of July.
     For the past two weeks, Phivolcs said it had detected a declining level of 0 to 5 volcanic earthquakes daily and no felt earthquake occurred since July 2.
     The agency also noted that hydrothermal and steaming activities in the Northern and Northeastern sides of the volcano’s main crater and the Daang Kastila Trail have decreased.

     Phivolcs resident vulcanologist Allan Loza says eruption

of the Taal Volcano is no longer imminent, but cautions that

the volcano island's main crater is still off-limits.

    The temperature measurements in the volcano’s main crater lake did not increase and remained at 33 to 34 degrees Celsius since June 8, while the  intensity in bubbling activity and the number of bubbling sites inside the main crater have also declined.
   In the said bulletin, Phivolcs also noted that the ground temperature and total magnetic field intensity it has measured at the Daang Kastila Trail and in the volcano’s main crater “showed no significant changes.”
   Based on the precise leveling measurements the agency conducted on July 13 to 21 along the Northeast, Southeast and Southwest parts of the volcano, the Phivolcs also detected minimal inflation of the volcano’s edifice, which indicates “the absence of fresh supply of magma from depth.”
    “This means that hazardous eruption is not imminent. The public, however, is reminded that the Main Crater should be strictly off-limits to the public because sudden steam explosions may occur and high concentrations of toxic gases may accumulate,” Phivolcs said in its bulletin.
     Phivolcs also discourages the general public from going to the northern portion of the main crater rim along Daang Kastila Trail as it may also be hazardous “when increased steam emission is reactivated along existing fissures.”
     “The public is also reminded that the entire Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and permanent settlement in the island is strictly not recommended,” Phivolcs added.
     Earlier on June 8, the Phivolcs raised Taal Volcano’s alert level status from 1 to 2, after it observed an abrupt change in the volcanic activities such as increasing number of volcanic quakes detected, increasing temperature in the main crater lake, rising ground temperatures and magnetic field measurements, and ground inflation.
    Alert Level 2 means that the volcano is undergoing magmatic intrusion which could eventually lead to an eruption. Following the advisory, the provincial government, had closed the volcano to the tourists and the media, for safety reasons.
   Classes of 300 pupils in the Pulo Elementary School in Talisay were also suspended.
    On June 22, the Batangas provincial board has already declared a state of calamity impending danger on 10 towns and two cities near Taal Volcano, to allow the municipal governments to use their calamity fund for disaster preparedness.
   The calamity fund comprises five percent of the annually approved local budget.
    The declaration covers the municipalities of Laurel, Talisay, Balete, Mataas na Kahoy, Alitagtag, Sta. Teresita, San Nicolas, Cuenca, Agoncillo and Lemery; Lipa and Tanauan cities.
    Phivolcs resident volcanologist Allan Loza said that based on their findings, volcanic eruption in Taal is no longer looming as of press time.
    He however said that the Phivolcs is already leaving it to the local government units to decide whether or not they will open the volcano island once again for tourists.
   “Hopefully the people will still follow the advisory that the main crater should remain off-limits. We have always reminded them that the volcano is a permanent danger zone that’s why we’re not advising them to stay there,” Loza said in a phone interview.
     Regarded as the world’s smallest active volcano, Taal has exploded for 33 times since 1572. A strong eruption in 1965 killed about 300 people. The volcano last erupted on October 3, 1977. (Marlon Alexander Luistro)