IF the trend of Taal Volcano’s restiveness continues, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology may raise the alert level to three, an indication that an eruption is looming.
As of yesterday, at least 20 volcanic quakes were detected during the 24-hour period compared to the 16 quakes on Friday. This indicates that magma is still rising to the surface.
More gas emissions have also been detected from the volcano and water in the crater is heating up, Phivolcs said.
On Friday, a large increase of carbon dioxide concentration was detected apart from registering 16 volcanic quakes in the same 24-hour monitoring.
People were advised not to venture into the danger zone.
Phivolcs said that gas measurements at Taal’s main crater lake showed a large increase in carbon dioxide in March with 4,670 tons per day compared to the 2,250 and 1,875 tons a day in the January and February emission.
Aside from the gas emission, state volcanologists also noted an increase in water temperature from 29.8 to 30.1 degrees Celsius.
“If this trend continues, we may have to raise the alert level again,” said Paul Alanis of Phivolcs.
People were warned not to approach Taal’s crater or parts of its slopes where gas could still vent out.
Phivolcs on April 9 raised the second of a five-step alert around Taal Volcano, a popular tourist attraction, after detecting signs that magma was rising to the top of the volcano.
Despite government pleas for people to leave the 2,500-hectare (6,178-acre) crater island, only 163 of the estimated 7,000 people living there have evacuated, the civil defense agency said in a statement.
Taal is one of the most unstable of the country’s active volcanoes with 33 recorded eruptions, the last one in 1977.
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