MANILA: AS Taal Volcano showed fewer signs of a possible eruption, volcanologists have lowered the Alert Level from 4 to 3 and residents of towns and cities in the Batangas province have begun going home.
However, residents of two towns, Agoncillo and Laurel, which were placed under lockdown were not allowed to return.
According to The Manila Times, returning residents were warned to remain vigilant as the volcano could erupt anytime.
Governor Hermilando Mandanas said there was a possibility the volcano could still erupt, and residents should be ready to evacuate in an hour.
Residents of Alitagtag, Balete, Cuenca, Lemery, Lipa City, Malvar, Mataas na Kahoy, San Nicolas, Santa Teresita, Taal, Talisay and Tanauan City were free to return to their homes.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phi-volcs) lowered the alert status of Taal Volcano on Sunday, saying the volcano showed fewer signs of a hazardous eruption.
Level 4 means an eruption is imminent.
Phivolcs said there were fewer earthquakes, while steam and gas emissions had weakened and ground deformation at the caldera and in the island had decelerated. However, while the alert level was lowered, the threat of an eruption had not disappeared.
At Alert Level 3, “sudden steam-driven and even weak phreatomagmatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, ashfall and lethal volcanic gas expulsions can occur and threaten areas within Taal Volcano island and nearby lakeshores,” Phivolcs said.