Taal volcanic eruption as seen from Puerto Galera. Here’s how it went from the next day to the present.

Hello, my name is Misuzu Hata. In this issue, we will report on the eruption of the Taal Volcano, which has been the subject of a great deal of discussion in the Philippines as well as in Japan.

On the afternoon of Sunday, January 12, 2020, the Taal Volcano, Batangas province, erupted again for the first time in 43 years since its eruption in 1977. The location is about 60 kilometers south of Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

The day after the eruption

Although the plume reached a maximum height of 15,000 meters at one time and a large amount of ash fell on the surrounding area, the only thing that could be seen from Puerto Galera was a large plume of white smoke that stretched high into the sky.

As time passes, even the slightly scorched smell seems to have been carried away by the wind.

I didn’t see any black smoke, but as I wiped the tables and leaves and my eyes rumbled, I could feel the ashes coming down on me.

At night, I felt a little frightened by the rumbling sound of volcanic thunder that could be visually confirmed even on the island on the opposite shore, and the flashing thunder continued all night long.

The second day.

In the morning of the second day after the eruption, there were clouds that looked like ashes, and although there was sunshine, it was very dark. We also covered our mouths with masks and towels, just in case.

Passenger planes and ships were suspended until two days after the eruption, but they are now operating as normal.

The reason for the suspension of flights is that if a large amount of volcanic ash is released into the atmosphere by the eruption, it could have a serious impact on aircraft operations, such as stopping the power of the engines that inhaled it, or scratching the windows, making it difficult to see.

According to our guests from Japan, it was only two days after the eruption that the media coverage in Japan began. We’ve also received a lot of calls about our safety. After all, I felt that there was a time difference in information.

Now

The alert level for eruptive activity at the Taal volcano has been set at six levels, from 0 to 5, and is still being raised to a second four from the top.

Although Mindoro Island has not been affected, there is a possibility of a larger scale eruption within a few days, so we would like to remain vigilant in the future. I was worried because it was my first experience, but I was able to get information in a timely manner through the local Japanese people and SNS, so I was very relieved.

This morning, volunteers from Mindoro Island were sending supplies to Batangas. I pray that the situation will be restored as soon as possible.