STO. TOMAS CITY – While the Taal volcanic smog or vog has subsided and face-to-face classes on all levels resumed here Tuesday the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology called for vigilance against its potential recurrence.
Although currently, Taal Volcano has clear skies without vog at noon on Monday, Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol emphasized the need for the public to stay alert with the possibility of vog returning.
Bacolcol explained that Taal Volcano's clarity on Monday was a result of windy conditions, which allowed vog to dissipate.
He, however, cautioned that vog could reappear at any time, and the exact timing of its disappearance is uncertain.
Various factors, including wind speed, sulfur dioxide emissions, rainfall, and temperature, influence the presence of vog.
Health Alert
According to Bacolcol, the complete disappearance of vog can be determined when the surroundings are free from haze and sulfuric odors.
Vog is composed of fine droplets containing volcanic gases, such as sulfur dioxide, and can persist when atmospheric layers do not mix, leading to the trapping of aerosols.
Exposure to vog can cause irritation in the eyes, throat, and respiratory tract, with severity depending on gas concentrations and exposure duration.
Taal Volcano remains at Alert Level 1, indicating an abnormal condition with ongoing unrest and the potential for eruptive activity.
Access to Taal Volcano Island, particularly the Main Crater and Daang Kastila fissures, remains restricted, and boating on Taal Lake is prohibited.
Calaca town jolted by Magnitude 5 Temblor
STO. TOMAS CITY — A powerful magnitude 5 earthquake struck Batangas province on Friday morning, causing concerns among state seismologists at Phivolcs on potential damages and aftershocks.
The epicenter was recorded southwest of Calaca City in Batangas, at approximately 8:24 a.m. It was of tectonic origin.
Phivolcs recorded: Intensity V (Strong) in Lemery, Batangas; Intensity IV (Moderately Strong) in Cuenca, Bauan, Sta. Teresita, and San Luis, Batangas; Tagaytay City in Cavite, and in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila;
Intensity III (Weak) in Laurel, Batangas City in Batangas; Tagaytay City in Cavite, and in Dolores, Quezon;
Intensity II (Slightly Felt) in Talisay and Rosario, Batangas; Magallanes, Cavite; Boac, Marinduque; Cities of Las Pinas and Pasay and in Metro Manila; Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Mauban, Polillo and Gumaca in Quezon; Taytay and Antipolo in Rizal;
Intensity I (Scarcely Perceptible) in Dinalupihan, Bataan and in Malvar, Batangas; Malolos City and Guiguinto, Bulacan; Ternate, Cavite; San Pablo, Laguna; Malabon, Pateros, San Juan, Parañaque, and the whole of Metro Manila; Abra de Ilog and Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro; Alabat, Lucban, and Lucena City in Quezon, and in Tanay, Rizal.
That day, Phivolcs anticipated possible damages and aftershocks resulting from the earthquake.
Rafael Cuevas, a disaster agency official in Calaca City reassured, "So far everything's okay. There have been no casualties, although this is the epicenter. We felt a strong shake for less than 10 seconds."
Arnold Panopio, the disaster chief of Mabini town, reported, "At first, it was just a slight jolt, then it became strong and stopped immediately."
Panopio added that no casualties or damages had been reported, but a local high school with approximately 2,000 students had suspended classes as a precaution.
In Manila, students wearing hard hats and office workers gathered outside buildings, awaiting clearance to return inside.
Earthquakes are a common occurrence in the Philippines, given its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area with significant seismic and volcanic activity extending from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
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