MANILA, Philippines — State volcanologists raised Wednesday the status of Bulusan Volcano to Alert Level 1, which indicates it is currently in a state of “low-level unrest.”
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert status of Bulusan a few days after it placed Mayon Volcano in Albay under Alert Level 2 after exhibiting “increasing unrest.”
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What to do?
Phivolcs reminded local government units and individuals that entry into the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone should be strictly prohibited.
Vigilance must be exercised in the two-kilometer Extended Danger Zone on the southeast sector due to increased possibilities of “sudden and phreatic eruptions.” Phreatic eruptions are steam-driven explosions.
“People living within valleys and along river or stream channels especially on the southeast, southwest and northwest sector of the edifice should be vigilant against sediment-laden stream flows and lahars in the event of heavy and prolonged rainfall should phreatic eruption occur,” the agency warned.
Pilots are also advised to avoid flying close to the summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.
What happened?
The Bulusan Volcano Network has recorded 126 weak and shallow volcanic earthquakes since early Tuesday morning.
According to Phivolcs, most of these events occurred in the northwestern sector and the summit area of Bulusan, and are attributed to rock-fracturing processes within the edifice.
It also observed increased hydrothermal activity, increased volcanic carbon dioxide, and sulfurous odor.