Taal volcano sulphur level check suspended as DOST-PHIVOLCS personnel undergo quarantine

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has announced on Friday evening a temporary halt on efforts to measure the sulfur dioxide level emitted by Taal volcano.

In an advisory, the agency said DOST-PHIVOLCS personnel assigned at the Taal Volcano Observatory or TVO are under quarantine.

With this situation, the affected personnel will not be able to conduct surveys and maintenance checks of the instrument called Flyspec, which is used to measure sulfur dioxide or SO2 gas.

The DOST-PHIVOLCS management has organized a team that will conduct a survey and coordinating efforts to use the Flyspec at the Volcano Observatory used in the Bicol Region to ensure that SO2 surveys will continue for Taal Volcano.

Meanwhile, the 24/7 monitoring of Taal Volcano will continue with the use of other parameters available to the TVO.

The activities at Taal Volcano had been closely monitored recently, due to the phreatic eruption last January 2020 and another eruption that gave rise to a kilometer-high phreatomagmatic plume in July this year.

In the next few days, visitors will not be accepted as part of precautionary measures.

Rest assured, the DOST-PHIVOLCS management added, the activities related to the measurement of the SO2 level in Taal Volcano will be started as soon as possible. — BAP, GMA News