(UPDATE) The Taal Volcano on Thursday belched a one-kilometer high column of smoke, authorities said, as they raised the alert one notch to Level 3, indicating magmatic unrest.
The dark plume, due to magma or molten rocks and water near the crater, was observed at around 3:16 p.m., Phivolcs said. Alert Level 3 is two notches below the highest warning, Level 5, which means that a hazardous eruption is ongoing.
"Itong mga explosion ay binanggit na natin sa ating mga bulletin na pwedeng magkaroon nga ng steam-driven or gas-driven explosion at kailangang pag-ingatan," Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said in a dzBB interview.
Solidum also said suflur dioxide and other gases may have come with the volcanic activity is unlikely to reach Metro Manila as winds have been blowing to the southwest direction since Wednesday.
"Ang kailangan natin bigyan ng pansin sa kasalukuyan ay yung nasa malapit sa Taal Volcano island at doon sa tinatawag natin Taal caldera, yung pinaka-lake. Doon may mga vog na nangyayari," he added.
After it raised Alert Level 3, Phivolcs strongly recommended that "Taal Volcano Island and high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel, Batangas be evacuated due to the possible hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami."
The entire volcano island is a permanent danger zone and entry into the island, as well as the barangays in Agoncillo and Laurel, is prohibited, it said.
Taal Volcano last erupted in January 2020 before the pandemic.