Expert Explains Why River Near Philippines’ Taal Volcano Dried Up

A local scientist provided an explanation as to why parts of a major river system near the Taal volcano in the Philippines suddenly dried up earlier this week. According to the expert, it could be a sign of an impending destructive eruption.

Agencies in the Philippines are currently monitoring the Taal volcano located in the province of Batangas after it erupted on Sunday. They fear that the ongoing volcanic activity happening in the surrounding areas could mean that Taal is preparing for a more powerful eruption.

On Wednesday, residents living in areas near the volcano reported that portions of a major river system known as Pansipit River have suddenly dried up. This river is over five miles long and goes through various towns in Batangas. It also serves as the only drainage outlet of the Taal Lake, a large body of freshwater that fills the caldera of the volcano.

According to Dr. Winchell Sevilla, a volcanologist and supervising science research specialist for the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the current state of the Pansipit River is directly related to Taal volcano’s activities.

He explained that due to the accumulation of magma beneath the surface, the ground surrounding the volcano has started to swell. Since the ground has been lifted up, this may have caused the water from the river to flow to lower areas not yet affected by the swelling.

“Since the natural flow of water in the river is that it goes to the lower areas, a portion of the Pansipit River dried up possibly because of the swelling or bulging of the ground in the area,” Sevilla told the Manila Bulletin.

Another possible explanation regarding the disappearance of water from the river is it may have been absorbed by the fissures or volcanic events that appeared after Taal’s initial explosion.

“The drying up of the river is consistent with the fissures that were seen in the areas near the volcano,” Sevilla stated.

According to the volcanologist, the drying up of parts of Pansipit River is a clear indication that the Taal volcano is not yet stable and that the areas around it are still dangerous to visit. If the volcanic activities continue, these could lead to a powerful eruption that could affect a large part of the Philippines.