'Ash fall' puzzles Baguio folk

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – Residents have been experiencing abnormally high dust and ash-like particles, and environmental experts are puzzled.

Small feather-like particles have been observed, especially on the windshields of many cars, triggering suspicions of a volcanic eruption.

The still unexplained phenomenon, however, is not similar to the ash fall that reached the city when Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales erupted in 1991.

Dr. Salvador Olinares, senior weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, suspects the particles to be dust from pine cones. 

Olinares added that there has been no volcanic activity that may have caused the phenomenon.

“It is abnormal,” a resident said.