Bulusan Volcano erupts anew; alert Level 1 stays

MANILA, April 30 ------ Bulusan Volcano erupted anew for 77 minutes on Tuesday night from 7:43 p.m. to 9 p.m. but alert Level 1 (low-level unrest) is maintained, which means that there are increased chances of phreatic eruptions to recur. "The eruption plume was obscured by clouds but likely drifted to the southwest based on the location of communities affected by ashfall," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a volcano bulletin posted shortly before midnight. The plume was 70 meters high. 

The volcano spewed ash for six minutes early Tuesday morning, from 5:21 am to 5:27 am, before the night-time eruption, Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday. In Sorsogon, rumbling sounds from the eruption were reported in Barangays Cogon and Bagsangan, Irosin. Ashfall was reported in the following areas: Cogon, Tinampo, Monbon, Bolos, Gulang-Gulang, Gabao, Bulawan, Macawayan in Irosin; Brgy. Guruyan, Juban; Zone 7; Somagongsong; Beguin; Aquino in Bulan. 

For the past 24 hours, the volcano generated 66 volcanic earthquakes, including six volcanic tremors that lasted from two to 12 minutes. Sulfur dioxide emission was 548 tonnes/day, higher than baseline levels of <200 tonnes/day. Entry into the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) must be strictly prohibited, and vigilance in the two-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) on the southeast sector must be exercised due to the possible impacts of volcanic hazards such as pyroclastic density currents or PDCs, ballistic projectiles, rockfall, avalanches, ashfall and others, the Phivolcs advisory released on Wednesday midnight said. "Communities that experience ashfall must take all necessary precautions and use protective masks or wet cloth to prevent ash inhalation, with special attention given to vulnerable persons including the elderly, persons with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, expecting mothers and infants," it added. 

Phivolcs advised those living within valleys and along river/stream channels especially on the western 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. Aviation authorities should advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft, Phivolcs said. 

Source: pna.gov.ph