Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
TAAL Volcano in Batangas Province has erupted early Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
According to an initial report from the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) in Region 4-A or Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), the eruption described as phreatic occurred around 12:54 p.m. and ended two minutes after.
It said that the white ash and steam plume has reached 820 feet or 250 meters.
The direction of the plume was southwest, the DRRMC-Calabarzon said.
“This notification is being issued as initial information on the volcano’s activity for appropriate action of the concerned agencies,” it added.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Teresito “Toto” Bacolcol, what happened in Taal was just a phreatic burst.
“This happens when a hot material comes into contact with water, producing steam,” Bacolcol told The Manila Times via Viber.
“The burst was just low and only 250 meters. It’s just over its crater so there is no need to evacuate people living beyond the permanent danger zone,” he added.
Phivolcs said phreatic eruptions are steam-driven explosions that occur when water beneath the ground or on the surface is heated by magma, lava, hot rocks or new volcanic deposits.
It is different from the phreato-magmatic eruptions which are driven by the direct interaction of magma and water. — Arlie O. Calalo
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Credit belongs to : www.manilatimes.net
