THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) yesterday said “volcanic smog” or ”vog” has been observed in the past two days at Taal Volcano in Batangas, warning residents with health problems to take precaution.
Taal remains under Alert Level 2 (increased unrest) which means the threat of sudden steam- or gas-driven explosions can occur. Its last eruption was in January 2020.
Phivolcs said the vog over the Taal caldera resulted from the continued emission of sulfur dioxide from Taal’s main crater.
It said vog is a type of air pollution that consists of fine droplets containing volcanic gas such as sulfur dioxide. It can irritate the eyes, throat, and respiratory tract in varying degrees, depending on gas concentration and duration of exposure.
It said individuals with with asthma, lung disease and heart disease are sensitive to the effects of vog, along with the elderly, pregnant women and children.
It advised the sensitive individuals to avoid outdoor activities, use N95 face masks, and drink plenty of water, among others.
“For the past two days, high levels of volcanic SO2 gas emissions and steam-rich plumes that rose as much as three kilometers high have been observed from the Taal main crater,” it said.
