Taal Volcano continued to erupt and spew ash plumes on Thursday since one of the world’s smallest but more active volcanoes in the Philippines erupted last Sunday.
While the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) observed that the past 24 hours saw the magmatic and hydrovolcanic activity of the volcano beginning to wane, emitting weaker steam-laden plumes, Alert Level 4 remains in effect.
Phivolcs recorded two eruptions on Thursday morning at 6:17 a.m. and 6:21 a.m. which saw the volcano spewing short-lived dark gray ash plumes 500 meters and 800 meters high, respectively. The eruptions dispersed ash southwest to the west of the main crater, according to Phivolcs.
“Activity in the past 24 hours has generally waned to weak emission of steam-laden plumes 700-meters high that dispersed ash to the southwest,” Phivolcs added.
So far, the Philippine Seismic Network plotted a total of 566 volcanic earthquakes since 1 p.m. of January 12, including 172 ground-shaking that registered at 1.2 magnitude up to 4.1 and generated intensities from 1 to 5.
The continuous earthquake around the volcano has resulted in land deformation as evidenced by fissures or cracks detected by Phivolcs’ monitoring teams.
Response vehicles
Makati Mayor Abby Binay on Thursday ordered the deployment of the city’s disaster response vehicles and equipment to Bauan, Batangas, to assist thousands of evacuees from localities affected by the ongoing eruption of Taal Volcano.
In a news statement, the mayor said the city government will be sending this coming Sunday one super tanker, two penetrator fire trucks, water filtration system, mobile shower, vacuum tanker, gensets, mobile kitchen and jerry cans. Some 1,000 mats will also be sent as her personal donation to the victims.
“We are mobilizing vital equipment to address the urgent needs of thousands of families displaced by the sudden eruption of Taal Volcano. The ordeal of evacuees from identified danger zones in Laguna and Batangas is far from over, and we would like to help ease their suffering by giving them access to potable water and power supply, among other necessities,” Abby said.
The mayor said the super tanker, which has a water storage capacity equivalent to the load of eight fire trucks, will be used to carry water that will pass through the city—provided water filtration system, in order to provide potable water supply to the evacuees.
The mobile kitchen, on the other hand, is ideal for mass food production as it allows for the preparation of at least 800 meals per operation. With its weather protection features and built-in chimney, it also ensures food safety and quality, the mayor added.
The city is also sending its mobile shower facility that provides needed privacy for residents while taking a decent shower. Also to be deployed is a vacuum tanker that will be used to collect sludge from the mobile shower.
On the mayor’s orders, the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office has designated a composite team to handle the transport of vehicles and equipment to the town of Bauan, in Batangas, and duly coordinate with the concerned DRRM Councils on the target location.