Taal Volcano’s Steam Emission Increases; Chances Of Eruption At 30%

An agency monitoring seismic activity in the Philippines reported an increase in the amount of steam currently being released by the Taal Volcano. Due to its current status, scientists in the country believe the volcano has a 30 percent chance of causing an explosive and destructive eruption.

The large plumes of smoke coming from the volcano began rising at around 5 a.m. on Friday in the Philippines. Experts said the volcano has been steaming for several hours already.

Renato Solidum, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), noted that the Taal Volcano’s latest emission is a common activity due to its current state. He said the volcano is producing large clouds of steam due to the volcanic earthquakes happening beneath it. The volcanologist said this indicates that the water inside the volcano is boiling.

“We're recording tremors beneath the island,” Solidum told CNN Philippines. “This would signify the boiling of groundwater inside the volcano. From time to time this will exit as steam, but if there is enough pressure and a lot of steam below, this can generate profuse steaming or sometimes explosion.”

Compared to its previous state during the last couple of days, Taal Volcano appears calmer now. However, its status is still at Alert Level 4, which means it could still erupt within hours or days.

According to PHIVOLCS, the volcano’s chances of causing a powerful eruption is at 30 percent. Although this may seem relatively low, Solidum noted this figure indicates that the volcano still has a good chance that it might erupt.

“For a huge explosion, we have that probability,” he said according to local news agency Inquirer. “But there are bigger likelihoods of smaller eruptions, which can also produce base surges.”

If the volcano produces a major eruption, scientists in the Philippines warned that it would cause instant death for anyone within Taal’s 14-kilometer danger zone. Aside from the flow of superheated magma, volcanic rocks raining from the sky and toxic fumes produced by the volcano could kill those staying near or around the volcano during an eruption.