Taal Volcano generated a short-lived dark phreatomagmatic plume at 3:16 to 3:21 p.m. on Thursday, raising its alert status to Level 3, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
Alert Level 3 means there is magmatic intrusion at the main crater that could possibly drive subsequent eruptions, said Phivolcs in its July 1 bulletin.
“Maari po tayong magkaroon ng minor fissuring dahil po umuurong o gumagalaw po ang magma … ang hazard po ay kapag nasa loob po tayo ng crater. Pwede po tayo maitsahan ng ballistics,” said Antonia Bornas, the chief of the Phivolcs Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division (VMEPD), on a Facebook live on Thursday.
Phivolcs advised the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel, Batangas to evacuate while the Taal Lake shore community was warned against possible lakewater disturbances.
Areas in the vicinity were also cautioned about ashfall that could collapse roofs if the phreatomagmatic eruption continued, said Bornas. Kelsey Telo