After Mt. Bulusan’s phreatic eruption, nearby residents told to prepare for possible evacuation

A thick layer of ash caused by the phreatic eruption of Bulusan Volcano blanketed the villages of Bacolod and Buraburan in Juban town in Sorsogon on Sunday. Photo from Sorsogon Provincial Information Office

LIGAO CITY — Provincial and municipal disaster risk reduction officials have alerted residents in Juban and Irosin town to be cautious and prepare for possible evacuation after Mount Bulusan’s phreatic eruption on Sunday morning.

Piere Dellosa, assistant provincial disaster risk management officer in Sorsogon, told the Inquirer in a phone interview that rapid assessment is being made in affected villages particularly in Buraburan, Bacolod, Guruyan and Calmayon in Juban town.

“We have alerted all the concerned stakeholders and residents to be on standby [because if the situation worsens, we] might mobilize and perform evacuation,” Dellosa said.

He said all municipal health offices were advised to prepare face masks for protection against respiratory diseases and nebulizers due to inhaled volcanic ash.

“Anti-venom injections are also being prepared as snakes might surface after being disturbed by the [phreatic] eruption,” he added.

In Irosin town, the villages of Bolos, Gulang-Gulang and Cogon were also affected by the phreatic eruption.

“We already advised the public to stay home and close the doors and windows for safety,” Fritzie Michelena, municipal disaster risk reduction management officer, told Inquirer in a separate phone interview.

“Smell of sulfur fumes is [being] experienced by residents in Cogon village. There are also very thin traces of ashfall,” she said.

Phivolcs placed Bulusan Volcano under Alert Level 1 (abnormal condition) following the phreatic eruption.

READ: Phivolcs reports increased activity of Bulusan