14 hikers, 4 guides rescued at Bulusan Volcano

At least 14 hikers and 4 guides who were at the foot of Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon when the volcano erupted on Sunday morning were rescued by authorities.

According to Jessie Cruzat’s report on “24 Oras Weekend," the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) said that the hikers from Metro Manila and Calabarzon started climbing Mt. Bulusan on June 4, Saturday.

“We received info that 14 hikers with 4 guides were on a trail within the danger zone during the eruption but they were all able to get to safety afterwards in the municipality of Barcelona,” said NDRMMC Spokesperson Mark Timbal.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) earlier raised Bulusan Volcano's alert status from 0 (normal) to Alert Level 1 (low-level unrest).

PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum earlier said the phreatic eruption occurred at 10:37 a.m. and it lasted for 16 minutes.

In a bulletin issued at 11:40 a.m., PHIVOLCS said that the eruption lasted approximately 17 minutes.

“A steam-rich grey plume reaching up to one-kilometer high was observed from the municipality of Juban, before it drifted west,” it added.

66 families unaffected

Timbal noted that 66 families residing in a sitio within the danger zone of Bulusan Volcano were “relatively unaffected” by the eruption.

“No ashfall was experienced in their community due to the strong westerly direction of winds that carried the ash elsewhere. But the residents are on standby in case evacuation will be required by the LGU,” he said.

He said that no casualties were reported due to the eruption.

Sorsogon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Fritzie Michelena earlier said that nearly 800 families in Barangays Cogon, Bolos, Gulang-Gulang, and Tinampo were slightly affected by the ashfall.

Meanwhile, at least 49 families or 151 individuals have been evacuated from their homes in Barangay Puting Sapa, Juban town, according to Jessie Curat’s report. — Mel Matthew Doctor/DVM, GMA News