MANILA, Philippines — Just a day after Bulusan’s second eruption in a week that covered more areas in ash, 337 people who fled their homes following the blast are now expected to go home “within the day.”
Sorsogon Gov. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said this on Monday, adding that cleanup in Brgys. Bacolod and Rangas in Juban town, which were worst hit by ashfall, was finished in just 12 hours, allowing people living there to go back to their normal lives.
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"There is no need for our countrymen to panic or think of anything," Escudero, who has been elected senator, told ANC’s “Headstart”. "We expect to decamp already the evacuation centers within the day."
The governor, who was elected senator in last month’s polls, added that cleanup of chapels and school grounds are underway and are expected to be finished “in a day or two.”
But danger still looms over Sorsogon as Escudero acknowledges that Bulusan may remain restive “in the next couple of days.”
Phivolcs said in its latest bulletin that it detected 106 volcanic earthquakes including 48 volcanic tremors lasting 20 minutes at Bulusan, which is currently under Alert Level 1 indicating “abnormal conditions.”
In addition, state volcanologists said the volcano released 4627 tonnes of sulfur dioxide on Sunday and emitted a 500-meter plume. The ground on Bulusan is also inflated, according to Phivolcs.
Still, Escudero is confident that Bulusan would not cause any further damage as he says that historically the volcano only spews ash when it erupts.
“We don’t have any experience since 1852 [when the volcano’s eruption was first recorded] that Bulusan spewed out rock, lava and lahar,” he said. — Xave Gregorio