By Mark Ivan Roblas (Manila Times, 03/21/06)
SORSOGON CITY: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has placed Mount Bulusan on alert level one after it showed increased restiveness Sunday morning.
Renato Solidum, Phivolcs director, said under normal conditions, the volcano only records five or less number of quakes.
Solidum said there was a significant increase in seismicity at Bulusan since last year and an increase in steam emission on March 3 this year.
He said they expect steam-driven and “phreatic” explosions to occur with the volcano’s increased seismic activity.
“If the present earthquake activity persists in the coming days, the possibility of explosions greatly increases so that the four-kilometer radius PDZ may be extended accordingly,” he added.
Volcanologist Bella Tuvianosa said 73 low- and high-frequency volcanic quakes were monitored from the volcano starting 5 a.m. Sunday.
“No cause for alarm, however, and even if it erupts, we do not expect casualty on humans as the four-kilometer permanent danger zone around the volcano is devoid of residents,” Tuvianosa said
Mountain climbers, farmers, animal hunters or orchid gatherers venturing within the zone will be warned, she assured the public.
The main Mount Bulusan monitoring station is located about 30 kilometers from its foot, in Barangay Cabidan here.
The volcano last erupted in 1995. It sits between the municipalities of Bulusan, Casiguran, Irosin, Juban and Barcelona in the province of Sorsogon.
Nearby Mount Mayon, also an active volcano which had been showing signs of restiveness for the past two years, has been placed under alert level two.
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