Don’t blame Taal Volcano; the haze over Metro Manila on Monday was “most likely caused by human activities,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Tuesday. State volcanologists said the smog over the capital region was due to pollution, most likely from vehicle emissions, and not from the volcanic smog or vog from Taal Volcano, where a rise in sulfur dioxide emissions has been observed. ADVERTISEMENT“The steam and gas plume over Taal Volcano is toward the northeast and not toward Metro Manila,” said Science Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr., Phivolcs officer in charge. According to Phivolcs, the vog is particularly harmful to the elderly, pregnant women, children and people with health conditions such as asthma, heart disease and lung disease. Volcanologists recorded high levels of gas emissions over the weekend, averaging 4,771 tons per day on Sunday.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 29, 2021 20:48 UTC