Philippines raises Taal volcano alert level

The Philippines increased its alert level on Taal volcano as the tourist attraction 65km south of the capital recorded increased unrest.

Taal’s alert status was raised to level 2 after 28 volcanic tremors and four low-frequency volcanic earthquakes in the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a Tuesday (9 March) advisory. It also recorded changes in the main crater lake and ground deformation.

‘This means that there is probable magmatic activity that may or may not lead to an eruption,” the agency said, advising the public that entry into the volcano island is prohibited. Taal erupted in early 2020, killing dozens and forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate.’

About 60 residents of Taal island were moved to safer ground, the Philippine Coast Guard said on Twitter. Authorities are targeting to evacuate about 200 people from two towns, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.

The lake that once filled the crater of the Taal volcano in the Philippines has almost completely disappeared due to the interaction of water with the magma that has driven a lot of the volcano’s explosive behaviour since 12 January 2020.

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