Bulusan Volcano erupts anew

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Sunday that Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon had another phreatic eruption whereas the phreatic eruption occurred at 3:37 a.m. and lasted for 18 minutes, it added.

A plume rose up to one kilometer high, Phivolcs Director and Science Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

“Alert Level 1 ay maintained,” he added.

The Phivolcs said a phreatic eruption refers to a steam-driven explosion that occurs when water beneath the ground or on the surface is directly heated by hot rocks or new volcanic deposits (e.g. pyroclastic density currents, lava) or indirectly by magma or magmatic gas.

Solidum said ashfall was reported in parts of the municipality of Juban. 

Juban, Sorsogon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) Public Information Officer Arian Aguallo later said the whole municipality of Juban was affected by ashfall.

“Medyo scattered po ngayon ang bagsak ng ashfall, hindi lang concentrated sa isang barangay. As of now, buong munisipyo po may traces of ashfall. Pero may mga selected barangays na heavily affected,” he said.

Aguallo, however, assured that there were no adverse events reported so far, and residents have not yet been advised by the local government to evacuate their homes.

At past 9 a.m., however, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said evacuation of residents has started in some barangays in Juban.

“Ongoing din po ang evacuation sa oras na ito. May natanggap po kaming report na 103 families/438 pax ang bilang na nag-evacuate mula sa Juban,” the NDRRMC told reporters.

Message from Governor Chiz: Take extra precaution or avoid going through the Maharlika Highway covered by Barangay Bacolod in the town of Juban because of the thickness of ash caused by the re-eruption of Bulusan Volcano.