'No imminent threat of Bulusan eruption'

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Government volcanologists yesterday allayed fears of Sorsogon residents of a major eruption of Bulusan volcano, saying that what was ejected last Monday were merely old deposits and not “fresh ones” as earlier suspected.

Quoting laboratory findings, Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the tons of ash which Bulusan spewed were old volcanic debris believed deposited at the mouth of the upper crater, and not fresh materials coming from the magma chamber.

“This means that there is no immediate threat of an eruption already accompanied by magma. But just the same, we would like to warn residents not to enter the four-kilometer permanent danger zone around Bulusan,” Solidum said in radio interviews here.

Bulusan ejected an estimated 700,000 cubic meters of volcanic materials last Monday morning.

Raffy Alejandro, Bicol director of the Office of Civil Defense, said they were closely monitoring the health situation, particularly in the towns of Irosin, Juban and Bulan, which were heavily affected by the ashfall.

Alejandro said requests for more face masks by the affected towns have mounted, as residents fear more ash explosions.

Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism (DOT) yesterday warned foreign and local tourists against engaging in any activity near Bulusan.

The DOT’s Bicol regional office said entry to the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone is strictly prohibited due to risk of sudden steam and ash explosions.

Tourism officials said mountain climbing or any tourism promotion activity within the declared danger zone of Bulusan must be avoided.

“Pilots of all sorts of aircraft are also strongly advised to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ejected ash and volcanic fragments from sudden explosions may pose hazards to aircraft,” the DOT added. – With Celso Amo, Mayen Jaymalin