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MANILA, Philippines — A minor eruption took place over Taal Volcano in Batangas province on Thursday afternoon, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Phivolcs said the explosion,which was described as phreatomagmatic, happened around 3:01p.m. and lasted for 12 minutes.
A phreatomagmatic eruption occurs when magma interacts with water, causing explosions that produce a mix of steam, ash, and fragmented volcanic materials, the agency said.
On one hand, a phreatic eruption happens when water comes into contact with hot volcanic materials (either rocks or gases), producing steam, ash and sometimes fragmented volcanic materials.
The minor eruptive events occurred at the volcano’s main crater as shown on review of monitoring data from the Taal Volcano Network with its plume reaching 2, 400 meters high which drifted southeast, the state seismology bureau said.
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Currently, the Batangas volcano is under Alert Level 1 which means that its condition is abnormal and should not be interpreted to have neither ceased unrest nor ceased the threat of eruptive activity.
At Level 1, "sudden steam-driven or phreatic or minor phreatomagmatic eruptions, minor ashfall and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within the island,” Phivolcs said.
It reminded the public against any entry into its permanent danger zone.
