THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Monday Taal Volcano’s main crater may still erupt despite the zero quakes recorded on Sunday. PHIVOLCS director Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. said the sudden decrease in sulfur dioxide emission on Sunday to 1,140 tonnes might be the result of a block in the main crater.
“Posible pang magkaroon ng mga pagsabog diyan sa Taal Volcano, lalong-lalo na sa main crater kasi ‘yung magma ay nandiyan sa mababaw na parte at ang interaksyon ng magma at tubig ang sanhi ng pagpapasabog,” Solidum said.
“Kung mapapansin din natin, bumaba nang bigla ang sulfur dioxide gas kahapon, mahigit 1,000 lamang at posibleng nagkaron ng pagbara sa daanan ng gas kaya nagkakaron pa rin ng pressurization,” he added.
PHIVOLCS reported on Monday that there were no volcanic earthquakes recorded at Taal Volcano in the past 24 hours, but Alert Level 3 remains in effect.
The hot volcanic fluids however continued upwelling the main crater in the past 24 hours, generating plumes 1,000 meters tall before drifting southwest.
Asked until when will the Taal Volcano remain under Alert Level 3, Solidum said, “Ang pagtaas ng alert level ay walang time window. Kapag nakakita tayo ng parametro na nagsasabing posibleng magkakaroon ng mas malalakas na pagsabog, pwede tayo magtaas kaagad.”
“‘Yung pagbaba ng alert level, for example, from 3 to 2, ay kailangan natin ng dalawang linggo na makita natin na talagang tuluyang humuhupa at bumaba ang mga parametro na ating nasusukat diyan sa Taal Volcano,” he added.
