Mt. Bulusan Threatens Major Eruption Soon

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

Legazpi City: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned on Friday that the eruption of Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon could prove hazardous to residents within the area. According to the government volcanologist Alex Baloloy, this is due to the frequency and increase in strength of Wednesday’s explosion.

In a press briefing held at the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol, Baloloy said that the last major eruption of Mount Bulusan took place in the 17th century.

“A possible magmatic or hazardous eruption might occur like that of Mount Pinatubo,” he said.

Baloloy recalled that in l978, l985, l994, and l995, Bulusan volcano exhibited phreatic explosions. Classified as a strata-type volcano, Mount Bulusan erupted at 8:17 p.m. Wednesday night and the activity continued up to yesterday morning.

The explosion generated a two-kilometer-high ashcloud beyond the summit, which drifted generally to the north and northwest of Casiguran town in Sorsogon. Light ashfall was reported at Inlagadian village of Casiguran, some five kilometers north of the volcano.

Mayor Boboy Amor of Casiguran told reporters that his town was seriously affected by ash residues from the eruption, prompting officials of the Department of Education in Casiguran to suspend classes at all levels.

Sorsogon Gov. Raul Lee said that ash residues were reported in Sorsogon City, about 20 kilometers north of the volcano, and in some villages of Juban, northwest of Bulusan. Arnel Capili, OCD regional director in Bicol, told The Times that a magmatic eruption would affect about 49,881 people in Irosin, Juban and Casiguran. “The moment the volcano erupts, some 5,849 persons will be in danger,” he added.

An earthquake occurred at 2:26 a.m. Tuesday, simultaneously with smaller eruptions. Two volcanic quakes were detected in the past 24 hours.

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