Government agencies closely monitoring two active volcanoes

Government agencies are keeping a close watch on Mount Kanlaon and Mount Bulusan, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said on Sunday (June 19).

Mount Kanlaon in the Negros Island Region remains in a state of unrest after its eruption last Saturday (June 18) while Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon Province erupted last June 10.

“Patuloy ang pagtutok ng ating PHIVOLCS (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) na siyang siyentipikong organisasyon na nagmo-monitor ng ganyang mga kaganapan at iyon namang NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council) ay patuloy pa ring tumututok rin at nagpapalabas ng mga napapanahong alert status hinggil sa activities ng Mount Bulusan at Mount Kanlaon na itinuturing nilang active volcanoes sa kasalukuyan,” Secretary Coloma Jr. said.

“Iyon namang kanilang mga field operatives ay kanilang pinapakilos din para tiyakin na ligtas ang ating mga kababayan. Meron kasing mga ino-obserbahang permanent exclusion zone within a certain perimeter nitong mga nasabing bundok,” he added.

After its phreatic eruption last Saturday morning, moderate steaming of plumes was seen from the summit of Mount Kanlaon, whose crater was covered with clouds, according Phivolcs.

Based on the latest Phivolcs bulletin issued at 1pm on Sunday, Mount Bulusan “generated a steam-driven explosion that lasted for approximately seven minutes based on the seismic record and produced approximately 300 meter-high dirty white ash plume that drifted towards the northwest”.

“Alert Level 1 (abnormal) remains in effect over Bulusan Volcano. This indicates that hydrothermal processes are underway beneath the volcano that may lead to more steam-driven eruptions. The local government units and the public are reminded that entry to the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) is strictly prohibited due to the possibility of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions,” the Phivolcs bulletin said.

“Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft. Furthermore, people living within valleys and along river/stream channels especially on the 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,” the bulletin further stated. (PCOO News Release)