Phivolcs lifts alert level on Mt. Bulusan

LEGAZPI CITY – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has lifted the alert level on Bulusan Volcano from one to zero, after noting a general decline in volcanic activities.

“This means observational parameters have returned to baseline or background levels and no magmatic eruption is foreseen in the immediate future,” a Phivolcs bulletin released at 8 a.m. said.

Phivolcs said the volcano has returned to normal since its phreatic eruption on June 5, 2017.

Bulusan’s upper slope has deflated since June 2018, and the frequency of volcanic earthquakes has declined.

The gas emission has also dropped below detection levels.

Despite the lifting of the alert, Phivolcs said they were strictly prohibiting people from entering the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone, particularly near the vents on the south-southeastern slopes, due to the possibility of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruption, rockfall and landslide.

They also advised pilots not to fly close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden phreatic eruption could be hazardous to aircraft.