Mount Bulusan, also known as the Bulusan volcano, is a stratovolcano located in the eastern part of the Philippines. This volcano on the island of Luzon is making headlines after a volcanic eruption that covered the towns in Sorsogon in the Bicol region.
Due to this, authorities have warned the residents of more eruptions in a couple of days and cautioned them about the ashes and chemicals in the air that harm humans, animals, plants, and properties. Mount Bulusan is one of the active volcanoes in the Philipines, located in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
An aerial shot of houses covered with ash fall in Juban Town, Sorsogon Province, south of Manila, after the sudden eruption of Bulusan Volcano on June 5, 2022.
Mount Bulusan Erupts Into Action
On Sunday, June 5, Mount Bulusan roared into action as it spewed huge, dark gray plumes for 17 minutes, covering towns at least 1 kilometer from the volcano. The authorities have already prompted evacuations among residents in the ash-covered town, warning of possible further eruptions, Phys.org reported.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PhiVolcs) announced a phreatic eruption of Mount Bulusan, which means that the volcanic eruption was caused by boiling water under the crater.
Civil defense official Leo Ferreras of the nearby Barcelona town told the media that there was a group of 14 people and four local guides who were midway down the 1,565-meter volcano, unaware of the current ash cloud shooting the other side of the mountain caused by the volcanic eruption.
Fortunately, there were no casualties from the incident, and the group of hikers and local guides safely got down. However, authorities raised the alert level in the area to one, which indicates low-level unrest on the five-level system.
The local government of Sorsogon says that about 10 villages in two towns were greatly affected by the ashfall. Images of the aftermath show roads, houses, and trees in Juban town are all covered in ash, and vehicles struggle to navigate through the roads due to poor visibility caused by the thick ash.
They have deployed firetrucks to clear the area and residents also helped by sweeping the ash off the roads. Meanwhile, senior citizens and those with respiratory issues, such as asthma, were prioritized in the evacuation.
The province is about 500 kilometers south off the capital Manila, which is feared to be also affected. The Manila airport authority said the flights were not affected by the volcanic eruption. However, they have issued a warning to pilots about flying near the affected region.
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Health Effects of Volcanic Eruption
Authorities reminded residents not to enter the four-kilometer radius around Mount Bulusan. Those who live next to it should be cautious due to the harmful effects of hazardous phreatic eruptions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that people have already died from volcanic eruptions, which result in significant health threats to humans, mudslides, power outages, drinking water contamination, and wildfires.
These blasts could cause infectious disease, respiratory illness, burns, injuries from falls, and vehicular accidents related to hazy and slippery roads. It is advised to strictly follow warnings from experts and authorities to prevent adverse health effects from a volcanic eruption.
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