Blue alert up due to Mt Bulusan eruption

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol has issued a Blue Alert Status following a phreatic eruption of Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon early Monday morning, April 28.

OCD Regional Director Claudio Yucot released a memorandum to inform affected communities to remain vigilant, despite the low-level unrest.

Yucot also placed the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operation Center (RDRRMOC) under Alert Level 1 for heightened monitoring.

The Blue Alert Status is raised when it is necessary to ensure that all bulletins and advisories issued by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) regarding volcanic activity will be promptly communicated to residents in the affected areas.

Additionally, it is issued when all regional response teams and assets must be on standby for possible deployment to areas impacted by a calamity.

“The early morning phreatic eruption occurred from the summit crater of Mount Bulusan and lasted for 24 minutes based on seismic and infrasound records. The incident produced a bent plume that rose 4,500 meters above the crater before drifting west to southwest,” RDRRMC 5 reported.

Barangays Cogon and Bolos in Irosin; Puting Sapa, Guruyan and Buraburan in Juban; and Tulatula Sur in Magallanes, Sorsogon were affected by the ashfall.

The report further stated that “A pyroclastic density current descended the southwestern slopes and traveled within three kilometers from the summit vent.

Before the eruption, 53 volcanic earthquakes were recorded over the 24 hours yesterday. Rumbling sounds were reported by local government officials approximately 15 minutes before the eruption and were recorded by infrasound sensors.” (With reports from OCD Bicol, RDRRMC Bicol/ PIA Bicol) Cover photo: OCD Bicol

RESPONSE team and emergency personnel hold a briefing after a Blue Alert was raised due to Mt. Bulusan’s phreatic eruption.