After recording 41 quakes on Saturday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that there was no volcanic tremors from Taal Volcano on Sunday, according to its latest bulletin on Monday.
However, the agency is still maintaining Alert Level 1 over the Taal Volcano area.
Besides the 41 volcanic quakes recorded on Saturday, the agency said it observed “Emission of white steam-laden plumes from fumarolic activity at Main Crater vents was very weak. Ground deformation parameters based on continuous GPS monitoring from 29 March 2020 to present indicated a slow and slight inflation of the northwestern sector of Taal Caldera, which was also recorded by electronic tilt on northwest Volcano Island starting the second week of July 2020.”
Prior to Saturday’s 41 volcanic quakes, Phivolcs did not record any similar tremor two days prior. However, the two days where Taal had no volcano quake was preceded with two days of Phivolcs recording at least one quake from the volcano.
As for maintaining Alert Level 1 over the Taal Volcano area, Phivolcs is reminding “the public that at Alert Level 1, sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within the Taal Volcano Island (TVI).”
“DOST (Department of Science and Technology)-PHIVOLCS strongly recommends that entry into TVI, Taal’s Permanent Danger Zone or PDZ, especially the vicinities of the Main Crater and the Daang Kastila fissure, must remain strictly prohibited. Local government units are advised to continuously assess previously evacuated barangays around Taal Lake for damages and road accessibilities and to strengthen preparedness, contingency, and communication measures in case of renewed unrest,” it added.
