LEGAZPI CITY, June 20 (PNA) — Six villages in Juban, Sorsogon have been affected by the recent explosion of Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon which spewed a 1.5-kilometer high ash plume cloud at around 2:55 p.m. Friday, a report from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Bicol said.
The five villages hit by ash fall were barangays Anog, Puting Sapa, Katanusan, Bacolod and Bura-buran with a total population of 5,713 persons.
Ed Laguerta, Philippine Institute of Volcanolgy and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) resident volcanology, said the eruption was a “phreatic” one, similar to the three steam-driven explosions that happened within this week.
“This time, the volcano billowed a 1.5-kilometer high ash cloud as compared to the eruption that took place on Tuesday and Thursday,” Laguerta said in a phone interview.
On Thursday, Phivolcs seismic instrument recorded one explosion-type and one rockfall event occurred but the small explosion event lasted for about two minutes based on seismic record but was not observed visually due to thick clouds covering the summit.
A rumbling sound was heard Friday between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m by residents of Barangay Monbon in Irtosin town, the Phivolcs said.
Rachelle Miranda, OCD spokesperson, said in a phone interview that the ash cloud emitted by the volcano drifted towards the west-southwest direction, possibly affecting at least five villages of Juban town.
Volcanologists are currently checking traces of ash that fell on the villages of Juban.
The collected volcanic ashes will be tested whether its texture contains magma fragments, which would mean that magma is building up in the volcano’s vent, Laguerta pointed out.
“if the test finds that it contains ‘juvenile magma fragments, it would be a precursor to a much stronger eruption” Laguerta said.
Miranda said classes in public elementary and secondary schools were still suspended for the third day when the eruption happened Friday.
Alert Level 1 remains in effect and the Phivolcs warned the villagers not to venture inside the four-km Permanent Danger Zone due to sudden phreatic explosions.
Civil aviation authorities were likewise told to advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.