Taal vog downs 50; NCR air quality poor

At least 50 individuals in the province of Batangas had fallen ill due to volcanic smog, or vog, from Taal Volcano, the Department of Health said Friday.

Of  the number, 45 were from the municipality of Tuy, four from Nasugbu, and one from Lian.

"The ill individuals experienced respiratory distress and were brought to the nearest health facilities," the DoH said in a statement.

DoH said its Health Emergency Management Bureau has coordinated with the Center for Health Development in Region IV-A to facilitate medical support to the individuals.

"Personnel and logistics have likewise been put on standby to facilitate immediate mobilization as needed," it said. "CHD IV-A is also in close coordination with the affected municipalities for continuous monitoring and health emergency support," it added.

Harmful effects

In a separate advisory, the Health department warned the public, particularly residents near Taal Volcano, about the harmful effects of volcanic smog or vog.

"Vog is composed of small particles of ash that contain volcanic gas such as sulfur dioxide that is acidic and may irritate the eyes, throat and air passages depending on the concentration of gas and the exposure to it," the agency said.

Residents near Taal were advised to avoid outdoor activities and to wear N95 masks if they had to be outside.

Meanwhile, the  Department of Science and Technology said the hazy skies noted over Metro Manila and neighboring provinces on Thursday and Friday were unrelated to the activity of Taal.

"What is happening in the metro is different from the activity of the volcano," DoST Secretary Renato Solidum said in Filipino.

He said the haze was caused by thermal inversion which involves a change in the normal tendency of air to cool down with altitude.

"This cool air stays on the surface; that's why smog or vog remains instead of being dispersed, because of the pollution. As we noticed, the entire Metro Manila is shady and cloudy, so that is smog, vog, or fog" he said.

Solidum noted that both smog and vog can be dangerous. He urged the public to remain indoors or wear an N95 mask when going outside while the haze remained heavy.

"Here in Metro Manila, the source of smog comes from car pollution while the smog in Taal Volcano is from the volcanic gas," Solidum said.

He said heavy rains can wash out the pollutants causing the smog in Metro Manila.  He differentiated it from the dangerous acid rain that can occur in areas affected by Taal's vog.

"But, of course, when it comes to the volcano, something different is happening there. It can still get washed down, but if the raindrops are tiny, the sulfur mixed with water results in acidic rain," Solidum said.

No sign of eruption

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, or Phivolcs, reported that Taal volcano has been releasing vog, although there are no indications of an impending eruption.

"As long as Taal is spewing out sulfur dioxide, this will be a recurring threat," said Teresito C. Bacolcol, Phivolcs head.

Bacolcol said Taal's sulfur dioxide emissions were drifting toward the west, affecting Tuy, Calaca, Balayan, and Nasugbu towns in Batangas.

He advised the public to avoid outdoor activities, close their doors and windows, and drink lots of water to flush out the sulfur dioxide.

The volcanic smog, Bacolcol said, does not indicate a need to raise  Taal's alert level, which is presently at  Level 1, signifying "low-level unrest."

The latest Phivolcs bulletin said Taal exhibited five volcanic tremors lasting a total of 575 minutes from 5 a.m. on Thursday to 5 a.m. on Friday and emitted voluminous plumes up to 2,400 meters high, drifting west-southwest and southwest.

The sulfur dioxide emissions increased from 4,322 tons on Tuesday to 4,569 tons on Thursday.

Phivolcs said steam-driven or gas-driven explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas are likely.

Metro classes suspended

Metro Manila residents were also encouraged to take precautionary measures by the DENR-EMB which warned of "poor air quality" in the capital region.

Afternoon classes in the metropolis at all levels were suspended on Friday.

"Real-time air quality measurements indicated a heightened alert in some parts of Metro Manila, primarily attributed to emissions from heavy vehicular traffic, specifically during rush hours, the bureau said.

"Air quality varies in time and place and can change at anytime, depending on pollution sources and meteorological factors," it added.

The DENR-EMB attributed the hazy skies in the National Capital Region on Thursday and Friday to ground level suspended particulate matter concentration, describing it as a "climate phenomenon."

It said that at some point, the air quality in Parañaque City was "acutely unhealthy," while in Makati and Pateros it was "unhealthy."

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