MANILA – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) is bracing for the possibility of a prolonged activity of the Taal Volcano, which it said could reach up to seven months.
Mariton Bornas, chief of Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division of the PHIVOLCS, said a prolonged eruption would be the “worst-case scenario” for Taal Volcano’s intense unrest.
“Kung titingnan po natin ang historical eruptions ng Taal, puwede po ‘yang kasing-ikli ng three days katulad ng 1911 eruption o puwede ‘yang tumagal ng pitong buwan like the 1754 eruption,” Bornas added.
“It could be short, it could be long. Hopefully, short lang kasi malaking dagok po ‘yan sa mga kababayan natin sa Batangas,” she said.
Bornas added a volcanic tsunami is among the possible hazards of Taal’s activity, while fissuring, landslides and ground liquefaction are also possible.
“Kapag pumuputok po nang malakas, explosive eruption, may studies na ginawa diyan, either driven by explosion or may ground deformation o pag-alsa ng lupa na sumisipa sa tubig,” she said.
“Medyo mas malalaki ang mga ilog diyan eh. Sa ibang parte ng bulkan, masyado matarik ang dalisdis so mahirap mag-accumulate ng deposits. Pero dito sa side ng Laurel mayroong plain diyan at may malaking drainage ng mga ilog, so puwede kang mag-generate ng mga lahar diyan,” she added.
“Siguro ang closest na puwede ihalintulad sa malakas na pagputok ng Taal ay atomic bomb explosion – ‘yung itsura niya, hindi ‘yung energy,” she said. “Mayroon kang matayog na eruption column tapos mayroong ‘ring kumakalat mula doon sa base ng eruption column.”
Very fine particles from volcanic ash would take about three days before they settle from the atmosphere, Bornas added.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered government agencies to ensure that the people affected by the eruption will be given assistance.
Duterte has given instructions to the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Department of Energy (DOE), among others.
“Pinapasigurado niya sa lahat ng ahensya ng executive, sa DOH na dapat tutukan agad ‘yung sa kalusugan, ‘yung mga mask dapat ma-distribute agad. Sa DSWD para magbigay ng tulong lalo na sa evacuation centers, ‘Yung Armed Forces nag-deploy na ng lahat ng air assets ng Philippine Air Force. ‘Yung DOE dapat ma-restore ang power,” Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go said.
“Ang local government units naman ang on top dito, supporting ang national government agencies. Dapat gumalaw kaagad ang lahat ng ahensya,” Go added./PN
