Vog observed at Taal Volcano

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) observed volcanic smog from Taal Volcano in Batangas Province on Monday morning.

According to the seismology bureau, a vog consists of fine droplets containing volcanic gas such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is acidic and can cause irritation of the eyes, throat and respiratory tract, with severities depending on the gas concentrations and durations of exposure.

People with asthma, lung disease, and heart disease may be particularly sensitive to vog, as are the elderly, pregnant women and children.

The agency recommended that communities that could possibly be affected stay indoors and protect themselves by wearing N95 facemasks and drinking plenty of water to reduce any throat irritation or constriction.

Also, a voluminous emission of a steam plume reaching 2400 meters and drifting north-northwest was also seen based on the agency's 24-hour monitoring.