Two more phreatomagmatic eruptions occur Thursday evening after initial eruption at 3:16 p.m.
(Eagle News) — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warns of “succeeding eruptions” in Taal Volcano as it noted that there is already magmatic intrusion in the volcano that caused the “phreatomagmatic eruption” on Thursday afternoon, July 1, in its main crater.
PHIVOLCS strongly pushed for the “complete evacuation” of residents in the Taal Volcano Island and high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel, Batangas, as it warned of “possible hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami.”
-Magmatic intrusion could drive succeeding eruptions-
“There is magmatic intrusion at the main crater na puedeng mag-drive ng succeeding eruptions,” said PHIVOLCS director Renato Solidum Jr., explaining why PHIVOLCS raised the alert level in Taal Volcano to Alert Level 3.
Mariton Bornas, chief of PHIVOLCS’ Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division, explained that the explosion or eruption in Taal on Thursday afternoon occurred at 3:16 p.m. and lasted until 3:31 p.m.
“Ito ang dahilan kung bakit po tayo nagtaas ng alert level,” she said.
As predicted, there were more phreatomagmatic eruptions recorded by PHIVOLCS later.
“There were 2 smaller phreatomagmatic eruptions recorded from 6:26 PM and 7:21 PM that lasted 2 minutes and produced 200-meters high plumes,” Phivolcs said in a tweet.
Bornas explained that magma had already come in contact with the water in the Taal’s main crater that caused the phreatomagmatic eruption.
The dark phreatomagmatic plume on Thursday afternoon that rose up to one kilometer high is typical of phreatomagmatic eruption when water comes into contact with magma
The contact of magma which is about 1,000 degrees centigrade in temperature and water causes a shock wave or compression wave that breaks the magma, resulting in the phreatomagmatic eruption.
“Ang magma po at ang tubig na siyang nasa lawa ng main crater ay nagdampi, kaya ang tubig ay bigla po siyang naco-convert sa gas in form of water vapor. Ang coversion na ito ay sobrang bilis, super sonic, sobrang bilis, ito ay nakakalikha ng tinatawag na schock wave or compression wave na siyang bumabasag sa magma,” Bornas explained.
-Around 14,000 tons of sulfur dioxide recorded per day-
She also noted the sulfur dioxide being released in Taal Volcano is also very high.
On June 28, PHIVOLCS was able to record more than 14,000 tons per day of sulfur dioxide flux. On July 1, PHIVOLCS recorded 13,287 tons per day of sulfur dioxide.
This created the volcanic smog around the Taal Caldera. The amount was so high it could be seen in a high resolution satellite.
In the earlier bulletin, issued at 3:37 p.m. on July 1, Phivolcs has raised the alert level in Taal Volcano from alert level 2 to 3.
“This serves as notice for the raising of the alert status of Taal from Alert Level 2 (increasing unrest) to Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest). At 1516H (3:16 PM) PST, Taal Volcano Main Crater generated a short-lived dark phreatomagmatic plume 1 kilometer-high with no accompanying volcanic earthquake,” it said.
“In view of the above, DOST-PHIVOLCS is now raising the alert status of Taal from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3. This means that there is magmatic intrusion at the Main Crater that may further drive succeeding eruptions.”
PHIVOLCS said it strongly recommended that “Taal Volcano Island and high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel, Batangas be evacuated due to the possible hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami.”
“The public is reminded that the entire Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and entry into the island as well as high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel is prohibited. In addition, communities around the Taal Lake shore are advised to take precautionary measures and be vigilant of possible lakewater disturbances related to the ongoing unrest.”
The barangays in Agoncillo which are recommended to have immediate evacuation procedures are Banyaga and Bilinbinwang. In Laurel, Batangas, the barangays of Gulod, Boso-Boso, and the Lakeshore in Bugaan East. These are within the seven kilometers radius of Taal Volcano.
Phivolcs is also recommending for fishermen to avoid going into the Taal Lake. at this time of volcanic unrest.
Phivolcs said that it is continuously monitoring if the Taal Volcano activity will worsen, or decrease. Officials said they will be sending drones to check further activities in Taal volcano.
(Eagle News Service)
