The other communities that encircle Taal Lake include the cities of Tanauan and Lipa, and the municipalities of Talisay, Laurel, Agoncillo, Santa Teresita, San Nicolas, Alitagtag, Cuenca, Balete, and Mataasnakahoy.

[16] Despite the warnings, some families remain settled on the island, earning a living by fishing and farming crops in the rich volcanic soil.

[17][18][19][20] On May 6, 2024, Batangas governor Hermilando Mandanas declared Volcano Island a "no man's land" due to series of wildfire devastation on its southwest tip on May 2, near the Binintiang Munti observation station.

The first recorded eruption occurred in 1572, the year Augustinian friars founded the town of Taal on the shores of the lake (on what is now San Nicolas, Batangas).

From 1605 to 1611, the volcano displayed such great activity that Father Tomas de Abreu had a huge cross of anubing wood erected on the brink of the crater.

The eruptions of 1707 and 1715 occurred in Binintiang Malaki (Giant Leg) crater, the cinder cone visible from Tagaytay Ridge, and was accompanied by thunder and lightning.

A more violent event happened on September 24, 1716, blowing out the entire southeastern portion of the crater of Calauit, opposite Mount Macolod.

Father Manuel de Arce noted that the 1716 eruption "killed all the fishes...as if they had been cooked, since the water had been heated to a degree that it appeared to have been taken from a boiling caldron".

Father Bencuchillo stated that of Taal, "nothing was left...except the walls of the church and convent...everything was buried beneath a layer of stones, mud, and ashes".

During the night of the 27th of that month, the seismographs at the Manila Observatory commenced to register frequent disturbances, which were at first of insignificant importance, but increased rapidly in frequency and intensity.

A huge, fan-shaped cloud of what looked like black smoke ascended to great heights, crisscrossed with a brilliant display of volcanic lightning.

Popular opinions after the creation of the lake held that the presence of the water in the crater cooled off the material below and thus lessened the chances of an explosion or the extinction of the volcano.

The 1965 eruption was classified as phreatomagmatic,[14] generated by the interaction of magma with the lake water to produce the violent explosion that cut an embayment on Volcano Island.

The Strombolian eruptions, which started five months after on January 31, 1968, produced the first historical lava fountaining witnessed from Taal.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) regularly issued notices and warnings about current activity at Taal, including about the ongoing seismic unrest.

[29] On August 28, the PHIVOLCS notified the public and authorities that the Taal seismic network recorded 10 volcanic earthquakes from 05:30 to 15:00.

PHIVOLCS reminded the general public that the Main Crater was off-limits due to the possibility of hazardous steam-driven explosions and build-up of toxic gases.

The composition of Main Crater Lake water has shown above normal values of MgCl, SO4Cl, and Total Dissolved Solids.

Magma was intruding towards the surface, as indicated by continuing high rates of CO2 emissions in the Main Crater Lake and sustained seismic activity.

The eruption spewed ashes to Calabarzon, Metro Manila, some parts of Central Luzon, and Pangasinan, in the Ilocos Region, which cancelled classes, work schedules, and flights.

[43] By January 26, 2020, PHIVOLCS observed an inconsistent, but decreasing volcanic activity in Taal, prompting the agency to downgrade its warning to Alert Level 3.

[44] On February 14, PHIVOLCS downgraded the volcano's warning to Alert Level 2, due to consistent decreased volcanic activity.

[49] In June, the volcano's emission of sulfur dioxide gas caused vog to appear over nearby provinces, and even Metro Manila.

[60] Locals have then reported an explosion near the crater around 1:00 PM (Philippine Time) with subsequent spurs of ashes around the lake.

[61][62] The next day on March 27, volcanic activities were relatively tranquil with almost no recorded earthquakes although sulfur dioxide emission still measured at 1,140 tons.

[63] The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) estimated that some 3,850 individuals were displaced on Monday, March 28.

[69] In June, sulfur dioxide levels around the volcano recorded a massive increase, causing a vog that forced the suspension of classes in Laurel and Talisay, as well as in parts of Agoncillo.

[71] In mid September, the volcano also released the same vog as in June that also forced the suspension of classes not only in Batangas but in neighboring cities and provinces as well.

[74] The volcano then underwent a phreatomagmatic eruption,[75] emitting a plume that reached a height of 2,400 meters,[76] though the Alert Level 1 status remains unchanged.

This increase was followed 22 days later by the magnitude 7.1 Mindoro earthquake on November 15, centered about 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of Taal, off the coast of Luzon.