Huge ash cloud rises from Mt. Bulusan's crater

The Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon province spewed an unusually high volume of ash and smoke, with plumes rising some 1.5 kilometers into the sky, GMA 7's DZBB reported Wednesday. Lesty Saquilon, Phivolcs science specialist, told GMANews.TV that the ash clouds blew in a west northwestern direction. The discharge was noticed 4:17 p.m. Wednesday. No casualties were reported as of posting time. Initial reports said no lava flows were seen along the volcano. Phivolcs observer Abner Epe said they have not advised disaster management and local officials to evacuate nearby residents. He said that despite Bulusan's activity, alert level 1 would remain in effect. Phivolcs first reported Bulusan's recent rumblings on March 21 when it recorded four explosion-type earthquakes around the volcano. Authorities had previously declared a four-kilometer danger zone around Bulusan. Last Saturday, Phivolcs said it recorded 41 high-frequency and 18 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes in the area during the last few hours. Bulusan is an active volcano in the southernmost province of the main Luzon island. Its summit crater has an estimated diameter of 1,000 feet, but the volcano has three other craters on its southeast side.-GMANews.TV