There are 53 active volcanoes in the Philippines.

The Philippines belong to the Pacific Ring of Fire where

the oceanic Philippine plate and several smaller micro-plates are subducting along the Philippine Trench
to the E, and the Luzon, Sulu and several other small Trenches to the W.

Tectonic setting of the Philippines

The tectonic setting of the Philippines is complex. It is characterized by a number of small plates
squeezed between 2 convergent plate margins, separated by small subduction zones and major
transform faults. The currently active volcanoes in the Philippines are found on several corresponding
volcanic arcs, which can be simplified into two major N-S trending arcs, the Luzon and Mindanao
Volcanic Arcs.

The volcanoes of the Philippines are produced at the junction of the Philippines tectonic plate and the
Eurasian plate.

The volcanoes of the Philippines rank as the most deadly and costly in the world: about 13% of its
historic eruptions have caused fatalities, most notably at Taal and Mayon, and 22% of its eruptions
caused significant damage.

Lahars (mud flows) are very common in the Philippines, because the archipelago has often heavy rains.

Tsunamis accompany eruptions in the Philippines more often than in any other volcanic region.

Since the establishment of PHILVOLCS (the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology), the
impact and damage of the eruptions has been significantly reduced.
Major health threats from a volcanic eruption

Volcanoes spew hot, dangerous gases, ash, lava, and rock that are powerfully
destructive. People have died from volcanic blasts. Volcanic eruptions can result
in additional threats to health, such as floods, mudslides, power outages, drinking
water contamination, and wildfires. Health concerns after a volcanic eruption
include infectious disease, respiratory illness, burns, injuries from falls, and vehicle
accidents related to the slippery, hazy conditions caused by ash. When warnings
are heeded, the chances of adverse health effects from a volcanic eruption are
very low.

Volcanic ash

Exposure to ash can be harmful. Infants, elderly people, and people with
respiratory conditions such as asthma, emphysema, and other chronic lung
diseases may have problems if they breathe in volcanic ash. Ash is gritty, abrasive,
sometimes corrosive, and always unpleasant. Small ash particles can abrade
(scratch) the front of the eye. Ash particles may contain crystalline silica, a
material that causes a respiratory disease called silicosis.

Gases

Most gases from a volcano quickly blow away. However, heavy gases such as
carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide can collect in low-lying areas. The most
common volcanic gas is water vapor, followed by carbon dioxide and sulfur
dioxide. Sulfur dioxide can cause breathing problems in both healthy people and
people with asthma and other respiratory problems. Other volcanic gases include
hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen fluoride. Amounts of these
gases vary widely from one volcanic eruption to the next.
Although gases usually blow away rapidly, it is possible that people who are close
to the volcano or who are in the low-lying areas downwind may be exposed to
levels that may affect health. At low levels, gases can irritate the eyes, nose, and
throat. At higher levels, gases can cause rapid breathing, headache, dizziness,
swelling and spasm of the throat, and suffocation.

How Do Volcanoes Erupt?

It is so hot deep within the earth that some rocks slowly melt and turn into a thick flowing matter
known as magma. Since it is lighter than solid rock, the magma rises and collects in magma
chambers. Eventually, some magma pushes through fissures and vents on the earth’s surface.
Hence, a volcanic eruption occurs, and the erupted magma is known as lava.
We need to understand the Earth’s structure to know how volcanoes erupt. At the top lies the
lithosphere, the outermost layer that consists of the upper crust and mantle. The thickness of the
crust ranges from 10km to 100km in mountainous locations and mainly consists of silicate rock.
See the video below to know more about the causes of volcanic eruptions.
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https://youtu.be/En5G4DFOnaM

Why Do Volcanoes Erupt?

The Earth’s mantle within the crust is classified into different sections depending on individual
seismology. These include the upper mantle, which ranges between 8 – 35 km to 410 km; the
transition zone ranges from 400 to 660 km; the lower mantle lies between 660 – 2891 km.
The conditions change dramatically from the crust to the mantle location. The pressures rise
drastically and temperatures rise up to 1000 oC. This viscous and molten rock gets collected into
large chambers within the Earth’s crust.
Since magma is lighter than surrounding rock, it floats up towards the surface and seeks out cracks
and weakness in the mantle. It finally explodes from the peak point of a volcano after reaching the
surface. When it is under the surface, the melted rock is known as magma and erupts as ash when
comes up.
Rocks, lava and ash are built across the volcanic vent with every eruption. The nature of the eruption
mainly depends on the viscosity of the magma. The lava travels far and generates broad shield
volcanoes when it flows easily. When it is too thick, it makes a familiar cone volcano shape. If the
lava is extremely thick, it can build up in the volcano and explode, known as lava domes.

Similar Reading

Types of Volcanoes

How to make a volcano?

Causes of Volcanic Eruption

We know that the mantle of the Earth is too hot, and the temperature ranges from 1000° Celsius to
3000° Celsius. The rocks present inside melt due to high pressure and temperature. The melted
substance is light in weight. This thin lava comes up to the crust since it can float easily. Since the
density of the magma between the area of its creation and the crust is less than the enclosed rocks,
the magma gets to the surface and bursts.
The magma is composed of andesitic and rhyolitic components along with water, sulfur dioxide, and
carbon dioxide in dissolved form. By forming bubbles, excess water is broken up with magma. When
the magma comes closer to the surface, the level of water decreases and the gas/magma rises in
the channel. When the volume of the bubbles formed is about 75%, the magma breaks into
pyroclasts and bursts out.
The three main causes of volcanic eruptions are:
The buoyancy of the magma
Pressure from the exsolved gases in the magma
Increase in pressure on the chamber lid
Hope you are familiar with why volcanoes erupt and the cause of the volcanic eruption. Stay tuned to
BYJU’S to learn about types of volcanoes, igneous rocks, and much more.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is lava?
When a volcanic eruption occurs, the erupted magma is known as lava.

State true or false: The nature of the eruption mainly depends on the
viscosity of the magma.
True.

What are the causes of volcanic eruption?

The causes of the volcanic eruption are:
 The buoyancy of the magma

 Pressure from the dissolved gases in the magma

 Increase in pressure on the chamber lid

Define magma.
inside the earth, some rocks slowly melt and turn into a thick flowing matter known as magma.

How is Earth’s mantle classified?

The upper mantle ranges between 8 – 35 km to 410 km; the transition zone ranges from 400 to 660
km; the lower mantle lies between 660 – 2891 km.

 The upper mantle – ranges between 8 – 35 km to 410 km

 Transition zone ranges from 400 to 660 km
 Lower mantle lies between 660 – 2891 km

Volcanoes located under water are also known as submarine volcanoes. There are at least
1,500 active volcanoes on the surface of the earth, but it is estimated that there may be more
than 10,000 volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean alone.