MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) announced Monday that Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon has been placed under Alert Level 1, which means that the volcano is now in an “abnormal condition.”
In a bulletin, Phivolcs said Bulusan’s monitoring network had recorded a total of 53 volcanic earthquakes since Friday, July 3.
BULUSAN VOLCANO BULLETIN
06 July 2020
04:00 P.M.#BulusanVolcano #HandaAngMayAlamhttps://t.co/IZnCzsAYtW pic.twitter.com/ruN7KI93gz
— PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) July 6, 2020
These include 43 “low-frequency events that are associated with weak and shallow hydrothermal or magmatic gas activity within the edifice.
“The increased seismicity could be succeeded by steam-driven or phreatic eruptions at the summit crater or from flank vents on the upper to middle slopes despite the absence of visible degassing or steaming from the active vent this year,” Philvocs said.
It added that ground deformation data indicate a ”short-term inflation” or swelling of the edifice since late February 2020.
“These parameters indicate that volcanic processes are underway beneath the edifice that may be caused by deep-seated degassing or hydrothermal activity or magmatic intrusion,” state volcanologists noted.
Local government units and the public are reminded that entry into the 4-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone around Bulusan is “strictly prohibited.” [ac]