Mount Bulusan erupts, aftermath still being studied

By BEA MONTENEGRO, GMA News

Published June 16, 2015 11:41am

UPDATED 6PM Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon erupted twice this morning, June 16, due to a buildup of steam in underlying rocks.

By day's end, no casualties nor damage had been reported.

According to GMA News' IMReady, the first of two "phreatic eruptions" eruption took place at 11:02 a.m. followed by another one at 11:20 a.m.

Aftermath, effects

In its official statement, PHIVOLCS confirmed that a steam-driven eruption took place, lasting about 10 minutes and producing an ash-and-steam plume around 1 km high. The second, weaker eruption only lasted around one minute.

Mount Bulusan is currently at Alert Level 1 (abnormal) and entry into the 4-km permanent danger zone is strictly prohibited.?

#BULUSAN VOLCANO Advisory 16 June 2015 | via @phivolcs_dost pic.twitter.com/VGXcpSouv6

— Red Cross 143 (@redcross143) June 16, 2015

According to Rudy Lacson, senior science researcher at PHIVOLCS, such phreatic explosions may happen at any time. "Any time po, pwede magbuga ng abo."

At the moment, there is no danger of any magma flow and any danger or damage will mostly be due to ashfall.

In any case, Lacson allayed public fears by pointing out that Mount Bulusan's activity is still within normal levels, though people should still stay out of the 4-km danger zone just to be safe.

Caution vs. ashfall

Due to prevailing weather conditions, the ashfall from the explosions is expected to affect areas west-southwest of the volcano.

Ayon sa @phivolcs_dost, ang mga lugar na nasa WEST SOUTHWEST ng #Bulusan Volcano ang maaaring maapektuhan. | via @IMReadyPH

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) June 16, 2015

Photos

Several YouScoopers were able to take a photo of the initial eruption:

Nakuhanan ni YouScooper @SeekGoodLife ang pagputok ng Mt. Bulusan ngayong umaga. #BulusanPH pic.twitter.com/rKoeQmYvHy

— YouScoop (@YouScoop) June 16, 2015

Pagputok ng Bulkang Bulusan ngayong umaga. Kuha ni YouScooper @OrangeRustle pic.twitter.com/VQsdhOyEDm

— GMA News (@gmanews) June 16, 2015

— With Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

Tags: weather, mountbulusan, bulusanvocano, eruption