A thick plume of smoke can be seen coming out of the peak of Mount Bulusan on June 13, 2022. Image sourced from the Sorsogon Public Information Office / Facebook / Phivolcs
LEGAZPI CITY — Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon has recorded another increase in seismic activity, which means another phreatic eruption is possible, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported Monday.
In its 11:45 p.m. advisory, Phivolcs said it detected 65 volcanic earthquakes including one low-frequency volcanic tremor.
“Most were weak and shallow events, but may indicate that a phreatic eruption could possibly occur within the next few hours to next few days,” the agency said.
In the phreatic eruptions on June 5 and June 12, the volcano spewed ash that reached several villages in the towns of Juban, Magallanes, Castilla and Pilar, and Sorsogon City in Sorsogon and Legazpi City in Albay.
The volcano remained under alert level 1 (abnormal condition).
Phivolcs reminded people to continue to keep away from the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone as well as the 2-km extended danger zone “due to increased possibilities of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions.”
Flying an aircraft close to Mount Bulusan is likewise not allowed, according to the state volcanologists.
Arvee Lodronio, head of municipal disaster risk reduction and management office of Juban town, said they already alerted the village officials and local agencies in areas that might be affected by another possible eruption.
BULUSAN VOLCANO ADVISORY
20 June 2022
11:45 P.M. https://t.co/4g3jqOIOZQ#BulusanVolcano pic.twitter.com/0soIRptS0X— PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) June 20, 2022
Mount Bulusan has been under Alert Level 1 since it first spewed ash in a phreatic explosion on June 5.
A week later, it erupted anew and affected several barangays in the towns of Juban, Casiguran, and Magallanes.