Taal Volcano (taken October 26, 2020).
© Mike Frialde/INQUIRER.netTaal Volcano (taken October 26, 2020).
TAAL Volcano registered more earthquakes and emitted more gas over the past 24 hours, signs of a looming eruption, the state-run Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Wednesday.

Based on the Taal Volcano Network (TVN), 212 quakes, including 168 tremors with durations one to 20 minutes, and 44 low frequency volcanic earthquakes were recorded.

Some 1, 229 tons of sulfur dioxide were emitted by the volcano in Batangas province in the past 24 hours, according to Phivolcs chief Renato Solidum.

Solidum said with the volcano under Alert Level 2, an increased unrest may lead to an eruption and advised "all concerned to remain vigilant".

"The fact that we have volcanic tremors and prolonged background tremor recorded, higher than normal sulfur dioxide emission rate of 923 tons per day, slow but steady inflation of the volcano still indicates magmatic activity at shallow depth beneath the volcano," he said.

Last week, some 302 volcanic quakes were recorded, the highest so far after Taal Volcano was placed at "elevated unrest", following a series of tremors.

Phivolcs maintained that entry into the Taal Volcano Island (TVI) and its Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), especially in the vicinity of the main crater and the Daang Kastila fissure, is strictly prohibited.

It said that local government units near the TVI have been advised to continuously assess and strengthen the preparedness of previously evacuated villages around Taal Lake in case of renewed unrest.

Phivolcs also said civil aviation authorities must advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and wind-remobilized ash may pose hazards to aircraft.