By Bohol Island News Staff | 08:48 PM January 12, 2020
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised the Alert Level 4 over Taal Volcano just hours after it spewed ash.
Alert Level 4 means that “hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days.”
In Phivolcs’ Taal Volcano Alert Signals, Alert Level 4 means “intense unrest, continuing seismic swarms, including harmonic tremor and/or ‘low frequency earthquakes’ which are usually felt, profuse steaming along existing and perhaps new vents and fissures.”
In its bulletin issued 7:30 p.m., Phivolcs said that it is because “eruptive activity at Taal Volcano Main Crater intensified as continuous eruption generated a tall 10-15 kilometer steam-laden tephra column with frequent volcanic lightning that rained wet ashfall on the general north as far as Quezon City.”
In Tagaytay, water and power were cut off as of past 7 p.m. on Sunday, January 12, 2020.
“Both water services and power already cut off now in tagaytay city due to current disruptive volcanic activity of taal. I hope the cellular service will not halt. Pray for safety of all,” Frence Boiser posted on Facebook.
Boiser, a Boholano who lives in Tagaytay City, added that the volcanic ash fall affects transport system.
“It is not recommended to come nearby Taal lake areas. Stay safe,” he said.
