Public warns vs visiting Taal Volcano

BY JHON ALDRIN CASINAS

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned the public against visiting Taal Volcano and its surrounding areas amid its continued unrest.

Phivolcs director Undersecretary Dr. Renato Solidum Jr. urged people not to go near the volcano, and refrain from boating around the Taal Lake.

In an interview over TeleRadyo on Thursday, Solidum said seismic activity in the vicinity of Taal Volcano has been increasing recently, with a total of 268 earthquakes recorded in the past 24 hours.

In its latest bulletin, Phivolcs has maintained the Alert Level 2 or “Increased Unrest” in the volcano, but it noted that the “unrest has been elevating and is under constant evaluation.”

Under such alert level, phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within and around the volcano island.

“Kung sakaling magkaroon ng mga steam-driven explosion, dahil wala nang mga tao (sa isla) ay mas ligtas sa kasalukuyan. Importante lang na walang lumabag,” Solidum said.

“At sa paligid ng Taal Volcano Island, sinabi rin natin kahapon nung nag-issue tayo ng advisory, na dapat walang nag bo-boating o di kaya naninirahan sa tubig,” he added.

The Phivolcs chief said the agency has monitored a movement of the magma inside the volcano, but he noted that the movement is not continuous.

“Kailangan din nating bantayan kung ang magma na umuusad ay lalabas ba talaga diyan sa bulkan,” he said.

“At kung sakaling lalabas, titingnan natin kung ito ba ay magiging explosive o di kaya ay dahan-dahan o magkakaroon lang ng lava,” he added.