Around 700 earthquakes were recorded at Taal Volcano for the past 24 hours, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday.

In its Sunday bulletin, Phivolcs said there were steady steam emission and infrequent weak explosions generated white to dirty white ash plumes 500 to 1000 meters tall, dispersing these southwest of the main crater.

It added sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 1442 tonnes per day.

Phivolcs said Alert Level 4 still remains in effect over Taal Volcano.

“For the past 24 hours, the Taal Volcano Network, which can record small earthquakes undetectable by the Philippine Seismic Network (PSN), recorded 787 volcanic earthquakes including 15 low-frequency earthquakes,” Phivolcs said.

From 5:00 am of January 18 until 5:00 am today, there were 25 volcanic earthquakes plotted, registered at magnitudes M1.3to M2.7 with one felt event at intensity I.

“Such intense seismic activity likely signifies continuous magmatic intrusion beneath the Taal edifice, which may lead to further eruptive activity,” it said.

Since January 12, the Philippine Seismic Network (PSN) plotted a total of 691 volcanic earthquakes where 175 of these registered at magnitudes M1.2 to M4.1 and were felt at Intensities I to V.

Phivolcs strongly reiterates total evacuation of Taal Volcano Island and high-risk areas as identified in the hazard maps within the 14-km radius from Taal Main Crater and along the Pansipit River Valley where fissuring has been observed. Ella Dionisio/DMS