A possible “opening” towards Balayan bay could be one worse case scenario in the event of a strong hazardous eruption, which experts from the Philippine Institute on Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) say could happen anytime soon in Taal Volcano. Such an eruption could create a volcanic tsunami which experts say, could rise to about 135 feet, similar to the ones which happened in Indonesia in 1883 which killed 36,000 when Krakatoa volcano collapsed.

An early morning interview of Princess Punzalan, volcanology expert of PHILVOCS over the radio program of Melo del Prado of DZBB, radio station of GMA7, confirmed that magma had caused ground cracks in the towns of San Nicolas, Agoncillo and Lemery. A 3 kilometer long ground crack happened in Lemery, which, if it continues could create an opening towards Balayan bay and unto the sea. If more magma reaches Lemery, this will create more fissures which could widen Pasipit river and eventually, open the possibility of a wider channel between Taal lake and Balayan bay.

An expert who want to remain anonymous, told Currentph.com that such a possibility exists since Taal is exhibiting a behavior similar to the 1911 eruption. The 1911 eruption showed Taal’s erratic behavior, emitting short plumes of smoke before the major eruption. White smoke coming from the six eruption vents of Taal Volcano did not mean that it is already safe.

Records show that the blast from the eruption of Taal was stronger than the one it did in 1757.

Punzalan confirms this and says that PHILVOCS expects a major eruption similar to the blast which killed thousands in 1911. Hazard maps created by PHILVOCS show that a major eruption could affect towns and municipalities within the 14 kilometer danger zone.

What governmental agencies do not say is the possibility of marine water rushing into the Taal lake caldera and inundating the entire area, and possibly erasing towns such as Lemery, San Nicolas and Lemery from the map. If this occurs, this will likewise affect low lying areas such as Santa Teresita in Batangas, well beyond the 14-kilometer radius danger zone.

Such a scenario could likewise case what experts call volcanic tsunami which could reach areas as high as as 135 feet! Here is an excerpt: see link.

“Although relatively infrequent, violent volcanic eruptions represent also impulsive disturbances, which can displace a great volume of water and generate extremely destructive tsunami waves in the immediate source area. According to this mechanism, waves may be generated by the sudden displacement of water caused by a volcanic explosion, by a volcano’s slope failure, or more likely by a phreatomagmatic explosion and collapse/engulfment of the volcanic magmatic chambers. One of the largest and most destructive tsunamis ever recorded was generated in August 26, 1883 after the explosion and collapse of the volcano of Krakatoa (Krakatau), in Indonesia. This explosion generated waves that reached 135 feet, destroyed coastal towns and villages along the Sunda Strait in both the islands of Java and Sumatra, killing 36,417 people. It is also believed that the destruction of the Minoan civilization in Greece was caused in 1490 B.C. by the explosion/collapse of the volcano of Santorin in the Aegean Sea.”