Phivolcs Discovers 5th Crater On Mt. Bulusan

By Niño Jesus Orbeta, Ephraim Aguilar, Bobby Labalan (Inquirer)
Posted 05:27am (Mla time) June 13, 2006

LEGAZPI CITY -- The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has discovered a fifth crater on Mt. Bulusan, a report on the aerial survey conducted by Phivolcs said.

The report, released yesterday, also quoted Dr. Ernesto Corpuz, a Manila-based Phivolcs volcanologist, as saying that based on the aerial survey of the summit and areas around the volcano yesterday morning, a magmatic eruption was not imminent.

Corpuz said that although steaming explosion pits were seen, there were no lava extrusions observed on the summit.

The report said Bulusan was silent during the 24-hour observation period with no volcanic earthquakes recorded and steam emissions were observed to be “generally weak to moderate.”

Alert level two remained hoisted over the volcano, however, as Phivolcs said more explosions were expected.

The agency said that if ash explosions occurred, they were more likely to affect the summit and upper slopes only.

But the ash could be carried several kilometers depending on the wind, it said.

“This time of year, the northeastern and northern sectors are most susceptible although near surface winds may also carry ash to the west and northwest,” the agency said.

The four-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) around Bulusan remained off-limits to people. And Phivolcs warned that areas outside the PDZ should be approached with caution.

“Should an unusually large explosion occur, areas outside the danger zone may be affected by volcanic flows,” the latest Phivolcs bulletin said.

It cautioned that gullies, which lead to the middle or upper slopes, should also be avoided because lahar and steam flows could be channeled to these areas, especially during the rainy season.

The Office of Civil Defense, meanwhile, said in its report that five families from the village of Cogon, Irosin town, were evacuated from their homes.

The evacuees said it was better to be safe than sorry since their houses were very close to the volcano.

They said they saw a “crack” in the volcano fronting their houses through which lava could flow.

They also could not stand the smell of sulfur, they said.

In Casiguran, Sorsogon, local government personnel went around checking on residents who might have been stricken ill by the ashfall.

Mayor Edwin Hamor said they were conducting a survey to determine who should be given priority help should Bulusan finally erupt.

He assured local residents the local government had enough provisions for their initial needs.

But the mayor admitted he was a bit at a loss since this was the first time his administration was responding to such a situation.