LUCENA CITY—For four consecutive days, Taal Volcano in Batangas province has consistently emitted an alarmingly high volume of sulfur dioxide, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). In its bulletin on Monday, Phivolcs reported that the volcano emitted 15,145 metric tons (MT) of toxic sulfur dioxide, or SO2 gas, over the past 24 hours. ADVERTISEMENTState volcanologists also noted a “pronounced upwelling of hot volcanic fluids” in the main crater lake of the volcano, located on Taal Volcano Island, locally known as the “Pulo,” which sits in the middle of Taal Lake. On Jan. 25, the volcano released 15,145 MT of toxic volcanic gas, the highest so far this year, but no seismic activities were recorded at that time. Last year, the volcano logged 11,499 MT on Nov. 9, the highest emission level recorded in 2023.
