Taal Volcano

Taal Volcano (IPA: [taʔal]; Tagalog: Bulkang Taal) is a
large caldera filled by Taal Lake in the Philippines.[1] Located in the

province of Batangas about 50 kilometers (31 mi) south of Manila,
the volcano is the second most active volcano in the country with 38
recorded historical eruptions, all of which were concentrated on
Volcano Island, near the middle of Taal Lake.[3] The caldera was
formed by prehistoric eruptions
be1965 to 1977 eruptions
Cinder cone and embayment created by the 1965 eruption

There was another period of volcanic activity on Taal from 1965 to
1977, with the area of activity concentrated in the vicinity of Mount
Tabaro. The 1965 eruption was classified as phreatomagmatic,[17]
generated by the interaction of magma with the lake water to produce
the violent explosion that cut an embayment on Volcano Island. The
eruption generated "cold" base surges[25] which travelled several
kilometers across Lake Taal, devastating villages on the lake shore
and killing about a hundred people.
One American geologist, who had witnessed an atomic bomb

explosion as a soldier, visited the volcano shortly after the 1965
eruption and recognised "base surge" (now called pyroclastic
surge[26]) as a process in volcanic eruption.[27]tween 140,000 and
5,380 BP.[4][5] 1911 eruption
Taal Volcano's crater
before the 1911 eruption, with the central cone and one of the lakes on the crater floor
Aerial view of Taal Volcano in Lake Taal, circa 1930s

One of the more devastating eruptions of Taal took place in January
1911. During the night of the 27th of that month, the seismographs at
the Manila Observatory commenced to register frequent disturbances,
which were at first of insignificant importance, but increased rapidly in
frequency and intensity. The total recorded shocks on that day
numbered 26. During the 28th there were recorded 217 distinct
shocks, of which 135 were microseismic and 10 quite severe. The
frequent and increasingly strong earthquakes caused much alarm in
Manila, but the observatory staff was soon able to locate their
epicenter in the region of Taal Volcano and assured the public that
Manila was in no danger, as Taal was some 60 km (37 mi) away, too
far to directly damage the city.[24]
In Manila, in the early hours of January 30, people were awakened by
what they at first perceived as loud thunder. The illusion was
heightened when lightning illuminated the southern skies. A huge, fan-
shaped cloud of what looked like black smoke ascended to great
heights, crisscrossed with a brilliant display of volcanic lightning. This
cloud finally shot up in the air, spread, then dissipated, marking the
culmination of the eruption, at about 2:30 am.[21]
On Volcano Island, the destruction was complete. It seems that when
the black, fan-shaped cloud spread, it created a blast downward that
forced hot steam and gases down the slopes of the crater,
accompanied by a shower of hot mud and sand. Many trees had their
bark shredded and cut away from the surface by the hot sand and
mud. This shower was the main cause of the loss of life and
destruction of property around the volcano. The fact that practically all
the vegetation was bent downward, away from the crater, suggested
that there must have been a very strong blast down the outside slopes
of the cone. Very little vegetation was actually burned or even
scorched.[21] Six hours after the explosion, dust from the crater was
noticeable in Manila as it settled on furniture and other polished
surfaces. The solid matter ejected had a volume of between 70 and 80
million cubic metres (2.5 and 2.8 billion cu ft). Ash fell over an area of
2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi), although the area in which actual
destruction took place measured only 230 square kilometres
(89 sq mi).[21] The detonation from the explosion was heard over an
area more than 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) in diameter.[24]
Death toll
[edit]
The eruption of the volcano claimed a reported 1100 lives and injured
199, although it is assumed that more perished than the official
records show. The seven barangays that existed on the island
previous to the eruption were completely wiped out. Post mortem
examination of the victims seemed to show that practically all had died
of scalding by hot steam and/or hot mud. The devastating effects of
the blast reached the west shore of the lake, where a number of
villages were also destroyed. 702 cattle were killed and 543 nipa
houses destroyed. Crops suffered from the deposit of ashes that fell to
a depth of almost half an inch in places near the shore of the lake.
Aftermath
[edit]
Volcano Island sank between 1 and 3 m (3 and 10 ft) as a result of the
eruption. It was also found that the southern shore of Lake Taal sank
because of the eruption. No evidences of lava could be discovered
anywhere, nor have geologists been able to trace any visible records
of a lava flow having occurred at any time on the volcano during the
eruption. Another peculiarity of the geologic aspects of Taal is the fact
that no sulphur has been found on the volcano. The yellow deposits
and encrustations noticeable in the crater and its vicinity are iron salts,
according to chemical analysis. A slight smell of sulfur was perceptible
at the volcano, which came from the gases that escaped from the
crater.[21]
Great changes took place in the crater after the eruption. Before 1911,
the crater floor was higher than Taal lake and had several separate
openings in which there were lakes of different colors. There was a
green lake, a yellow lake, a red lake and some holes filled with hot
water from which steam issued. Many places were covered with a
shaky crust of volcanic material, full of crevices, which was always hot
and on which it was rather dangerous to walk. Immediately after the
explosion, the various colored lakes had disappeared and in their
place was one large lake, about ten feet below the level of the lake
surrounding the island. The crater lake gradually rose to the level of
the water in Taal Lake. Popular opinions after the creation of the lake
held that the presence of the water in the crater cooled off the material
below and thus lessened the chances of an explosion or the extinction
of the volcano. This explanation has since been rejected by experts.
[21]
The subsequent eruptions in 1965 and successive activity came
from a new eruptivEarly 21st century
[edit]
Taal Volcano is a complex volcano located on the island of

Luzon in the Philippines.
Since the 1977 eruption, the volcano had shown signs of unrest since
1991, with strong seismic activity and ground fracturing events as well
as the formation of small mud pots and mud geysers on parts of the
island. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHIVOLCS) regularly issued notices and warnings about
current activity at Taal, including about the ongoing seismic unrest.[28]
e center, Mount Tabaro. 2024
[edit]
In June, five volcanic earthquakes have been reported, causing a
series of phreatic eruptions in a 24-hour period, releasing 1,072 tons
(10,042.45 metric tons) of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.[72] The
Taal Volcano has been under Alert Level 1 throughout September
when several minor eruptions occurred.
On October 2, another series of minor phreatic eruptions were
reported, lasting between two or six minutes.[73] The volcano then
underwent a phreatomagmatic eruption,[74] emitting a plume that
reached a height of 2,400 meters,[75] though the Alert Level 1 status
remains unchanged. Another minor phreatomagmatic eruption
occurred on October 5 and October 10.[76]

Taal Volcano

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Taal Volcano (IPA: [taʔal]; Tagalog: Bulkang Taal) is a

large caldera filled by Taal Lake in the Philippines.[1] Located in the

Cinder cone and embayment created by the 1965 eruption

One American geologist, who had witnessed an atomic bomb

Aerial view of Taal Volcano in Lake Taal, circa 1930s

Taal Volcano is a complex volcano located on the island of

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