More than 18,000 affected by Bulusan’s ashfall in Sorsogon

Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon province spewed a 2-kilometer ash column around 11:35 a.m., Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported. PHOTO FROM PHIVOLCS’ TWITTER PAGE

LEGAZPI CITY – At least 18,575 people living in 19 villages were affected by an ashfall caused by the “phreatic” eruption of Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon on Friday.

Luisito Mendoza Jr., head of Casiguran Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), said an estimated 15,000 of these residents were from the villages of Inlagadian, Casay, Mabini, Tigbao, San Juan, San Antonio, San Isidro, Rizal, Tiris, Gogon, Central, Timbayog, Adovis and Colambis, all in Casiguran.

In Juban town, at least 3,575 persons from the five villages of Tughan, Cogon, Aroroy, Rangas and Añog were affected, according to Lizpeth Nicolas, head of Juban MDRRMO.

Mendoza said almost half of these residents were given face masks and towels for protection against the thin layer of ashfall that fell over their villages.

At around 11:35 a.m., the volcano spewed a 2-kilometer high grayish ash plume that drifted towards the northwest.

READ: Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon spews ash

No evacuation efforts were done since the ash fall was thin./rga