Taal May Erupt Any Moment: Scientists Worried Due to Record-Breaking Gas Emissions

The Philippines' volcanology department warned that the Taal volcano might erupt at any time, citing record-breaking gas emissions, localized tremors, and rumblings from the top south of Manila.

Increase of Gas Levels and Emissions

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said that the greatest amounts of volcanic sulfur dioxide, or SO2 gas emission, were recorded an average of 22,628 tons/day, the most ever recorded in Taal. In addition, it claimed 26 "strong and extremely shallow, low-frequency volcanic earthquakes" recorded, some of which were accompanied by rumblings.

According to the institution, an eruption comparable to the one that occurred on July 1 may happen at any time. According to an earlier announcement, the authorities increased the local warning to level 3 on that day after Taal's main crater produced a black, blasted plume about 1 kilometer high.

It is recommended that pilots avoid flying above the volcano since ash and debris may pose a threat to aircraft.

Hundreds of surrounding inhabitants have already been evacuated. The government is striving to expedite the supply of Covid-19 vaccinations to impacted communities to prevent coronavirus infections in evacuation shelters.

Seismic and Volcanic Activities in the Philippines

More than 7100 islands make up the Philippines archipelago. The majority of these islands were formed by volcanic activity. Because the Philippines is sandwiched between the Pacific and Eurasian Plates, it is prone to typhoons, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.

The Pacific Ring of Fire, which extends along the Pacific Ocean's western border, is the world's most seismically active region, with a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake producers. Every day, about 20 earthquakes are recorded. However, the majority are too weak to be felt. In the Philippines, there are around 300 volcanoes. As of the record, twenty-two (22) of them are active, while the majority are inactive. 

Related Article: Earthquake Shakes World's Largest Active Volcano: Could the Seismic Event Trigger Tsunamis and Volcanic Eruption?

Taal Volcano

Taal Volcano is a huge caldera in the Philippines that is filled by Taal Lake. The volcano, located in the province of Batangas, is one of the country's most active volcanoes, with 34 previous eruptions, all of which occurred on Volcano Island, near Taal Lake. Prehistoric eruptions between 140,000 and 5,380 B.P. created the caldera.

The volcano is roughly 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Manila, the Philippines' capital.

Historical Eruptions

The Taal Volcano has experienced numerous severe eruptions in the past, resulting in 6,000 deaths on the island and the lake's inhabited areas. The volcano was named a Decade Volcano because of its closeness to inhabited regions and eruptive history, making it worthy of further research to avert future natural calamities. The Ring of Fire encompasses all of the Philippines' volcanoes.

Radon Concentration

In October 1994, volcanologists studying the concentration of radon gas in the soil on Volcano Island discovered an unusual six-fold rise in radon concentration. The magnitude 7.1 Mindoro earthquake, located approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Taal, off the coast of Luzon, struck 22 days later on November 15.

Detecting the Radon

A few days before the radon increase was detected, a typhoon had passed through the area, but no radon spike was detected when Typhoon Angela, one of the most severe storms to hit the area in ten years, traversed Luzon on almost the same path a year later.

As a result, typhoons were ruled out as a cause, and substantial evidence shows that the radon came from the tension buildup before the earthquake.

Also Read: Study Shows How Volcanism Might Have Affected Earth's Worst Mass Extinctions

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