From Inquirer

By Noriko Yamamoto

On Friday, October 17, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that Taal Volcano has experienced frequent volcanic earthquakes for 12 consecutive days.

In its morning bulletin, PHIVOLCS recorded three volcanic earthquakes, followed by a volcanic tremor detected at 2:47 p.m. on the same day.

The institute assured the public that the situation remains under control, noting that experts have been closely monitoring the volcano’s activity since October 6.

From October 1 to October 17, PHIVOLCS recorded a total of 181 volcanic earthquakes and five tremor episodes — a decrease from the 189 earthquakes and 129 tremors documented in September.

Moreover, the volcano remains under Alert Level 1 following a minor phreatic eruption that occurred at 11:42 a.m. on October 13.

With this, the agency reminded the public that Taal Volcano remains in an “abnormal condition,” emphasizing that this does not mean the volcano has stopped its unrest or potential eruptive activity.

“At Alert Level 1, sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions, minor phreatomagmatic events, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within the Taal Volcano Island (TVI),” PHIVOLCS warned.
A phreatic eruption is a steam-driven explosion caused when groundwater or surface water is heated by magma, lava, or hot rocks beneath the volcano.