Taal Volcano spews steam in minor phreatic blast
This screengrab of a video from a thermal camera at the Buco Observation Station in Batangas captures the minutes after a minor phreatic eruption at the Taal Volcano on Thursday night, May 29, 2025. (Screengrab of video from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology)
MANILA, Philippines — Taal Volcano had a minor phreatic eruption on Thursday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
The minor phreatic eruption took place on the volcano island’s main crater, as captured by a thermal camera at the Buco Observation Station, the Phivolcs detailed in a social media post.
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Phreatic eruptions are “steam-driven explosions that occur when water beneath the ground or on the surface is heated by magma, lava, hot rocks, or new volcanic deposits,” according to Phivolcs’ glossary.
Thursday’s eruption lasted from 9:18 p.m. to 9:22 p.m., generating a white plume 1500 meters long, Phivolcs said.
“Alert Level 1 prevails over Taal Volcano,” Phivolcs added./mr
