A Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) expert isn’t discounting the possibility Bulusan Volcano’s on-going eruptions can worsen.
“It’s possible for eruptions there to be more intense,” Phivolcs volcanologist Paul Alanis said, noting communities concerned must be on guard for this scenario.
Citing historical data, he noted eruptions in Bulusan usually start as minor explosions such as what Phivolcs already observed there.
The eruptions can eventually intensify over time, he warned.
Bulusan Volcano lies in Sorsogon province and is about 250 kilometers southeast of Manila.
On Thursday (May 7), Phivolcs raised Bulusan’s alert level status from zero to one as monitoring of this agency showed “abnormal” conditions there.
“This indicates hydrothermal processes may be underway beneath the volcano that may lead to more steam-driven eruptions,” Phivolcs said in its 8 a.m. Bulusan Volcano bulletin released Thursday.
Bulusan’s volcanic hazards are pyroclastic flows, lava flows, lahar and ashfall, noted Phivolcs.
Manila Bulletin
