

WATCH: Taal Volcano spews plumes 100 meters high after phreatic eruption
MANILA, Philippines — A phreatic explosion at the main crater of the Taal Volcano Sunday afternoon generated plumes 100 meters high, prompting state volcanology agency Phivolcs to raise the alert level to 2.
Nearly two hours later, however, the state volcanology agency again raised the alert level to 3 after the volcano spewed plumes a kilometer high.
READ: Phivolcs raises alert level to 3 as Taal Volcano spews kilometer-high plumes
The state volcanology bureau said that as of 2:04 p.m., Taal Volcano's main crater escalated its eruptive activity, generating an eruption plume 1 kilometer-high accompanied by volcanic tremor and felt earthquakes at the Taal Volcano Island and the barangay of Agoncillo, Batangas. Ashfall is currently being showered on the southwest sector of Taal.
The agency in its 4 p.m. bulletin Sunday strongly recommended that the Taal Volcano Island and high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel, Batangas be evacuated due to the possible hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami.
"The public is reminded that the entire Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and entry into the island as well as high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel is prohibited. In addition, communities around the Taal Lake shore are advised to take precautionary measures and be vigilant of possible lakewater disturbances related to the ongoing unrest."
Get updates as Phivolcs issues warnings over activity in Taal Volcano. (Main photo by Philstar.com/Rosette Adel)
Philvolcs says in its 8 a.m. bulletin that Taal Volcano’s main crater emitted steam-laden plumes that are 300 meters high between 9pm February 26 to 3am of February 27.
Taal Volcano remains at Alert Level 2.
TAAL VOLCANO BULLETIN
— PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) February 27, 2020
27 February 2020
8:00 A.M.#TaalVolcanohttps://t.co/Sf9pQ3NXMj pic.twitter.com/5kh5tMkjaJ
Police say they are still waiting for the Scene of the Crime Operatives for confirmation of the victim's identity, whose body was found dead underneath mud on Taal volcano Island.
The state seismic network characterized the activity of the volcano in the last three weeks by "less frequent volcanic earthquake activity, stabilizing ground deformation of the Taal Caldera and Taal
Under Alert Level 2,
"
Alert Level 3 is still up over Taal Volcano, state volcanologists say.
According to the 8 a.m. bulletin Saturday, the volcano emitted white to dirty white steam-laden plumes rising 200 to 300m high before drifting southwest in the past 24 hours.
"Weak steaming from fissure vents along the Daang Kastila trail is currently ongoing. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission was measured at an average of 54 tonnes/day on February 7, 2020," Phivolcs says.
"The Taal Volcano Network recorded one hundred fifteen (115) volcanic earthquakes including three (3) low-frequency events. These earthquakes signify magmatic activity beneath the Taal edifice that could lead to eruptive activity at the Main Crater," it adds.
In the last 24 hours,
The state seismic network also observed weak
At least 118 volcanic earthquakes, including five low-frequency events and one harmonic tremor that lasted three minutes
"DOST-PHIVOLCS reminds the public that sudden steam-driven and even weak
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