Taal Volcano triggers minor eruption, 13 seismic events

LUCENA CITY — Taal Volcano recorded a minor phreatomagmatic eruption, along with seven volcanic earthquakes and six volcanic tremors, over the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Saturday, July 18.

In a bulletin, Phivolcs said the eruption occurred at the Main Crater at 6:51 p.m. on Friday. The phreatomagmatic eruption — the third such event recorded this month — generated a plume that rose about 900 meters above the crater before drifting east.

The eruption was captured by the thermal camera at the Main Crater Observation Station on Taal Volcano Island, locally known as “Pulo,” in the middle of Taal Lake.

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READ: Taal Volcano logs second phreatomagmatic eruption this month

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The latest activity followed another minor phreatomagmatic eruption on Thursday morning that lasted about two and a half minutes.

Phivolcs also documented five phreatomagmatic eruptions in June.

A phreatomagmatic eruption occurs when rising magma interacts explosively with water. In contrast, a phreatic eruption is steam-driven and occurs when groundwater or surface water is rapidly heated by magma, lava, or hot rocks.

During the monitoring period, Phivolcs recorded seven volcanic earthquakes and six volcanic tremors lasting from seven to 96 minutes.

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Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions from the crater averaged 289 metric tons per day. No volcanic smog (vog) or upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in the Main Crater Lake was observed during the monitoring period.

Despite the recent eruptive activity, Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 1, indicating low-level volcanic unrest.

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However, Phivolcs reminded the public that entry into Taal Volcano Island, boating on Taal Lake, and flying aircraft close to the volcano remain strictly prohibited because of the risks posed by sudden steam-driven or gas explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and hazardous volcanic gas emissions. /das

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