TAAL Volcano continues to show signs of magmatic unrest, with volcanic earthquakes and tremors, coupled with high levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide or SO2 gas emissions and steam-rich plumes, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Sunday.

The volcano remains under Alert Level 3 or Magmatic Unrest.

Phivolcs, in its 8 a.m. Volcano Bulletin issued on Sunday, said the Taal Volcano Network recorded 74 volcanic earthquakes, including 13 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, and 61 volcanic tremors.

Some of these volcanic tremors lasted for 1 to 25 minutes.

The volcano's Main Crater also spewed high levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide or SO2 gas emissions and steam-rich plumes that rose 1,000 meters before drifting west-northwest and southwest.

From July 10 to July 11, SO2 emission averaged 6,488 tonnes/day.

While the volcano was relatively calm on Saturday with just eight volcanic earthquakes being recorded by the Taal Volcano Network, Taal showed imminent sign of danger on Friday, with a series of five short phreatomagmatic bursts occurring 6:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. the following day.

On Friday, Phivolcs reported that it recorded a total of 58 volcanic earthquakes, and 27 short-lived volcanic tremor events.

The SO2 gas emissions and steam-rich plumes from the Main Crater on Friday rose one 1,200 meters before drifting northwest. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission averaged 6,095 tonnes/day on 08 July 2021.

At Alert Level 3, magma extruding from the Main Crater could drive explosive eruption.

Phivolcs maintained that the entire Taal Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and entry into the island as well as into the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel must be prohibited due to the hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami should strong eruptions occur.

"All activities on Taal Lake should not be allowed at this time. Communities around the Taal Lake shores are advised to remain vigilant, take precautionary measures against possible airborne ash and vog and calmly prepare for possible evacuation should unrest intensify," Phivolcs said.

Meanwhile, civil aviation authorities are advised to prohibit flying over Taal Volcano Island as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and pyroclastic density currents such as base surges may pose hazards to aircraft.

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