PHIVOLCS: Taal Crater Lake Drained, Still Alert Level 4
PHIVOLCS – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said that Taal’s crater lake has drained due to its continued activity.
The institute’s chief of Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division Mariton Bornas said that this is in relation to the movement of magma up the volcano.
“Dahil nga sunod sunod na pag-lindol, umatras ang tubig ng lawa at ngayon ay natuyo yung portions ng Pagsipit River. Nagkaroon siguro ng pagalsa o uplift yung Taal region,”
“Possible din na yung mga bitak sa Lemery, ito ay dire-diretsyo na hanggang Talisay. Baka meron tayong mga underwater fissures sa floor or sa ilalim ng Taal lake at nag seep ang tubig dito,”
“In general, lahat ng ito ay related sa ground deformation na dulot ng pag tulak ng magma paakyat ng bulkan,”
A report in GMA News states that the now drained crater lake was spotted in newly acquired satellite images. Bornas added that these are not signs for an explosive volcanic eruption.
“Yung potential for an explosive eruption based yun sa monitoring parameters natin,”
“Mamaya baka makuha natin yung total sulfur dioxide na measurement. Anytime na mag spike to ang indication niyan umaakyat na naman yung magma,”
Bornas added that they are also monitoring for possible earthquakes.
“Tinitignan namin hindi lang yung counts, yung bilang, kasi pwedeng marami pero maliliit lang. tinitignan rin namin yung energy release, yung magnitude ng earthquakes,”
“Kung titignan natin yung history, 50/50, kung titignan natin yung monitoring record ngayon, malaki yung chance na magkaroon tayo ng explosive eruption ngayon,”
As per the report, Taal Volcano still remains on alert level 4 due to its possible imminent deadly eruption. The institute repeated that total evacuation of the volcano island, especially in high-risk areas, is a must.
The institute also urgd residents around Taal to take precautionary measures against the effects of heavy and prolonged ashfall.
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