English: On March 6, 2024, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of a large blue and gray plume of vog (volcanic smog) rising from the Taal volcano. Vog has been defined as, “a visible haze comprised of gas and an aerosol of tiny particles and acidic droplets, created when sulfur dioxide and other gases chemically interact with sunlight and atmospheric oxygen, moisture, and dust.”

Taal is a stratovolcano located on a small island in the southwest part of Luzon, Philippines. It is located about 45 miles (65 km) southwest of the large city of Manila. An eruption in January 2020 was the first in 43 years, although the volcano had rumbled and steamed since at least 1968. Two explosive eruptions occurred in 2021 and another in 2022.

Since 2022, the Tall volcano has continued a slow, gaseous eruption that is often accompanied by earthquakes. According to the Smithsonian Institute’s Global Volcanism Program, sulfur dioxide emissions have averaged 10,000 tonnes/day during January-February 2024. On February 29, emissions as high as 14,558 tonnes per day were recorded.

Despite the billowing gases and occasional quaking, the Alert Level remained at a 1 (on a scale of 0-5). However, the entire Taal Volcano Island is listed as a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and any activity on the island, including at Taal Lake, is prohibited.