MANILA, Jun 6 (NNN-PNA) – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, yesterday raised the alert level for Bulusan volcano, from zero to one, after the volcano in Sorsogon province, south-east of Manila, spewed grey plume about a kilometre high into the sky.
The institute said, the “phreatic eruption” occurred around 10:37 a.m. local time and lasted approximately 17 minutes. Ashfall was reported in towns near the volcano.
“Alert level one is now raised over Bulusan volcano, which means that, it is currently in an abnormal condition,” the institute said, warning of “increased possibilities of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions.”
The phreatic eruption is a “steam-driven explosion that occurs when water beneath the ground or surface is directly heated by hot rocks or new volcanic deposits or indirectly by magma or magmatic gas.”
Before the eruption, the institute said, it recorded 77 volcanic earthquakes in the past 24 hours.
The institute prohibited people from entering the 4-km danger zone and urged residents of villages in the extended danger zone to be vigilant.
“People living within valleys and along the river and stream channels, especially on the south-east, south-west and north-west sectors of the edifice, should be vigilant against sediment-laden stream flows and lahars, in the event of heavy and prolonged rainfall, should a phreatic eruption occur,” the institute warned.
The institute also warned airplanes to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit.
Bulusan volcano is one of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes. In Jan, 2018, the volcano spewed ash about 2.5 km high into the sky.– NNN-PNA
