Community water source in Sorsogon contaminated by ashfall from Bulusan Volcano —NDRRMC

A water source in Juban, Sorsogon has been contaminated by ashfall from Bulusan Volcano, the  National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Tuesday.

“Nagkaroon ng problema sa patubig 'yung community na spring water ang pinagkukunan dahil exposed ito at nalagyan ng abo,” NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

(A community had a problem in water supply because the spring where they source water was exposed and contaminated with ash.)

Timbal said the local government unit deployed water tankers to provide supply to the affected community. The private sector also distributed bottled water.

The Philippine Red Cross also sent similar supplies to the community.

Asked about the possibility of declaring a state of calamity, Timbal said, quoting Sorsogon Governor Francis "Chiz" Escudero, the situation is still manageable at the level of local government units.

He said no home was damaged and the government services as well as public utilities such as water, power, and telecommunications were not interrupted.

According to Timbal, a total of 216 people have evacuated due to the ashfall.

On Sunday, Bulusan Volcano had a phreatic eruption that lasted for 17 minutes which prompted the local government to evacuate affected residents.

The municipalities of Juban, Casiguran, and Irosin in Sorsogon experienced ashfall.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Sunday raised the alert status of Bulusan Volcano from zero to Alert Level 1. 

PHIVOLCS on Tuesday said a total of seven volcanic earthquakes have been monitored in Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon in the past 24 hours. —KG, GMA News