29 families flee homes after Taal Volcano minor eruption

LUCENA CITY — Twenty-nine families, comprising 107 individuals, evacuated in Agoncillo, Batangas, after a minor phreatomagmatic eruption of Taal Volcano on Thursday evening.

Citing the latest data from the evacuation center information board, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported Friday morning that the households, made up of 54 males and 53 females, have taken shelter at the socio-civic center in Barangay Pansipit

The evacuees left their homes in Barangays Bilibinwang and Banyaga, which were most affected by the volcanic ashfall. Social workers are attending to their needs at the evacuation center. 

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READ: Ashfall from Taal Volcano’s minor eruption to affect nearby towns

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According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the five-minute phreatomagmatic eruption began at 6:06 p.m., generating a plume that rose about 4,000 meters above the main crater lake on Taal Volcano Island, located at the center of Taal Lake. The volcano’s IP surveillance camera captured the plume.

Phivolcs warned that thin ashfall could affect the southwestern lakeshore towns of Agoncillo, Lemery, San Nicolas, and Taal towns in Batangas, as well as nearby areas.

A phreatomagmatic eruption occurs when rising magma explosively interacts with water.  

Over the past 24 hours, Phivolcs also recorded five volcanic earthquakes and one volcanic tremor lasting 38 minutes.

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The agency reported that sulfur dioxide emissions reached 3,071 metric tons, a sharp increase from the 952 metric tons recorded the previous day.

The Department of Health (DOH) reminded the public to take precautions against the harmful effects of volcanic ash, which consists of fine particles ranging from powder-sized to sand-sized material ejected into the air during volcanic eruptions.

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The DOH advised people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, including bronchitis, emphysema and asthma, to avoid exposure to volcanic ash.

Despite the latest eruption, Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 1, indicating low-level volcanic unrest./coa