MANILA – Another phreatic eruption from Mt. Bulusan is possible after it spewed ash earlier this week, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.  

A phreatic eruption or steam-driven eruption happens when hot volcanic material comes in contact with water.

“The possibility that this will recur, yung phreatic eruption kahapon. Posible pa ring mangyari in the next few days," said Phivolcs Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol.

"That’s the reason why we are telling the people that huwag pumasok sa 4-kilometer permanent danger zone dahil pwedeng mangyari ulit ang phreatic eruption,” he added. 

89 volcanic quakes rock Bulusan

Volcanic earthquakes, he said, were also an indication that the volcano remained active due to the moving magma and hydrothermal fluids.

Phivolcs said it recorded 89 volcanic earthquakes around Bulusan in the past 24 hours.  

“Hindi naman ibig sabihin na puputok agad pero kung marami na, pwede itong maging precursor ng volcanic eruption,” he said. 

“In fact on April 21, we noticed na dumami ang volcanic earthquakes so we released an advisory saying maging vigilant ang LGUs pati na ang residente dahil pwedeng mangyari ang phreatic eruption and nangyari nga,” he added.

Mt. Bulusan spews ash 

Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon erupted early Monday, sending a plume of ash 4,500 meters into the sky, which drifted west to southwest.

Ashfall was reported in parts of Irosin, Juban, and Magallanes towns.

A ash cloud from pyroclastic density currents, which are hazardous mixtures of hot volcanic gas, ash and fragmented rock, was also observed on the southwestern slopes. 

Around 27,000 people in Sorsogon were affected by the ashfall that prompted at least 19 families or 61 individuals to stay at evacuation centers, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). 

OCD Director Chris Bendijo said they already coordinated with the local disaster risk reduction and management offices as well as with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to have the ash removed from the streets. 

“Nagdulot ito ng low-visibility kapag nadadaanan ng mga sasakyan at upang makaiwas tayo sa dagdag-pinsala na maaaring maidulot ng traffic accidents, minabuti ng ating BFP na bugahan ng tubig ang ating ashfall,” said Bendijo. 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed around 20,000 food packs to affected families. 

“Mayroon din silang higit 200,000 food packs na nakahandang ma-deploy alinsunod ng ating Pangulo… dapat ito ay mabilis dapat ito ay parang conveyor belt at tuloy-tuloy,” he said. 

Bendijo said face masks were also being distributed to affected communities. 

“Minabuti natin magkaroon ng information campaign na kung saka-sakaling walang available face mask ay gumamit ng basang tela,” he said.

Phivolcs raised Alert 1 in a 5-level system, which meant that the “volcano is currently in a state of low-level unrest with chances of phreatic eruptions succeeding this morning’s event."