BATANGAS CITY, Philippines - The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council alerted all local government near the simmering Taal volcano in southern Luzon's Batangas province to prepare for enforced evacuation.However, some 1,552 families or 6,612 residents refused to leave their homes in spite the entire volcano island is a danger zone. So far Only 388 of 7,000 residents have left their homes.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said people should be barred from going to Taal's main crater, Daang Kastila Trail and Mt Tabaro because "sudden hazardous steam-driven explosions could occur and high concentrations of toxic gases may accumulate".- On Monday, Taal's main crater registered seven volcanic earthquakes, a decrease from 21 tremors on Friday. But its lips began to inflate, compared to a survey measurement on February 2.
The lake around it emitted 4,670 tonnes of carbon dioxide on Sunday, compared to an earlier measurement of 2,250 tonnes per day. The lake was also less acidic, with pH value of 2.84 compared to 2.82 on March 29. All these are signs that magma has been rising near Taal's crater.- Earthquakes and carbon dioxide emissions could increase in the next several days, a sign of the volcano's "magmatic eruption," said Phivolcs, but no date was specified for the major eruption.
Taal has erupted 33 times. Its last eruption was in 1977. Many lives were saved then because lava flows stopped at the lake surrounding the volcano. The Philippines has 22 active volcanoes.
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