Mt. Bulusan Expels Ash Anew

By Madel R. Sabater and Edgard Hilario (Manila Bulletin)

Another ash explosion occurred in Bulusan volcano in Sorsogon yesterday, the 10th ash explosion to be recorded in the volcano since March 21, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) disclosed yesterday.

The explosion occurred at 2:06 a.m. and lasted for about four minutes, eight days after Bulusan had its longest ash explosion for 17 minutes last June 20.

Phivolcs also said the volcano’s sulfur dioxide emission rate slightly decreased to 597 tons the other day from the 942 tons last June 26.

According to Phivolcs, two volcanic earthquakes were also registered yesterday during its 24-hour observation period, aside from the four-minute explosion-type earthquake.

These heavy ash falls have already wrought damage on the agricultural crops in 32 barangays around the volcano amounting to some P4 million.

Initial reports submitted by the municipal agriculturist office to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Office as of June 16 showed that the most affected barangays are those from the municipalities of Juban and Casiguran.

For rice crop, a total of 223 farmers from nine barangays in Juban have already been affected with an estimated production loss of over P41,000.

For high value crops, 14 barangays from Juban and Casiguran have already been affected with an estimated loss valued at almost P3.7 million. These include vegetables, pineapple and other fruit trees.

For livestock and poultry, the municipality of Juban has reported that some 550 chicken , 10 cattle and carabaos and 5 goats have already been affected with an estimated value of almost P200,000.

DA assistant regional director Jose Dayao said the DA regional office has already come up with contingency plan to assist farmers who will be affected by the eruption of Mt.Bulusan.

Bulusan volcano is still on alert level 2 and its four-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) is still closed to the public.

Towering at 1,559 meters above sea level and with 19 recorded eruptions since 1852, Bulusan volcano recorded a series of eruptions from November 1994 to January 1995 before this year’s series of eruptions.