Ashfall reported in several Sorsogon areas after another Bulusan Volcano eruption

Several areas in Sorsogon were covered by ashfall after Bulusan Volcano had another phreatic eruption on Sunday morning.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Juban, Sorsogon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) Public Information Officer Arian Aguallo said the whole municipality of Juban was covered by ashfall.

“Medyo scattered po ngayon ang bagsak ng ashfall, hindi lang concentrated sa isang barangay. As of now, buong munisipyo po may traces of ashfall. Pero may mga selected barangays na heavily affected,” he said.

(The ashfall is now quite scattered and is not just concentrated in one barangay. As of now, the entire municipality has traces of ashfall but some selected barangays are heavily affected.)

He stressed that more barangays are affected by Bulusan Volcano’s phreatic eruption on Sunday as compared to its June 5 eruption.

Aguallo, however, assured that there were no adverse events reported so far, and residents have not yet been advised by the local government to evacuate their homes.

“Kanina ang advisory namin is stay indoors. So ngayon, wala pa namang order to evacuate (Our advisory earlier was for them to stay indoors. Right now, there is no order to evacuate),” he said.

At past 9 a.m., however, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said evacuation of residents has started in some barangays in Juban.

"Ongoing din po ang evacuation sa oras na ito. May natanggap po kaming report na 103 families/438 pax ang bilang na nag-evacuate mula sa Juban," the NDRRMC told reporters.

(The evacuation [of residents] is ongoing as of the moment. We have received a report that 103 families or 438 individuals have been evacuated from Juban.)

"Ongoing po ang aming coordination with the regional counterpart. As of this moment ay we received a report na may ashfall incident sa Casiguran, Juban, Irosin," it added.

(We have an ongoing coordination with the regional counterpart. As of this moment, we received a report of ashfall incidents in Casiguran, Juban, Irosin.)

In a tweet, Sorsogon Governor and incoming Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero said that barangays Bacolod and Rangas in Juban “suffered from heavy ashfall.”

Only two (2) barangays (bacolod and rangas) in Juban suffered from heavy ashfall. Checkpoints are up to warn motorists of nearly 0 visibility due to the ash along Maharlika highway. Clean up is on-going…

— Chiz Escudero (@SayChiz) June 11, 2022

“Checkpoints are up to warn motorists of nearly 0 visibility due to the ash along Maharlika Highway,” he added.

The Sorsogon Provincial Information Office (PIO) said  Escudero has tasked the Bureau of Fire Protection to conduct cleaning operations along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Bacolod, Juban that was also covered by ashfall.

Meanwhile, in a separate Facebook post, the Sorsogon PIO added that aside from Juban, several barangays in Irosin, Casiguran, and Magallanes were also affected by the eruption.

“Pinapayuhan ang mga motorista na mag-ingat o kung maaari ay iwasan muna ang pagbiyahe o pagdaan sa mga apektadong lugar,” it said.

(Motorists are advised to be careful or avoid traveling or passing through the affected areas if possible.)

Photo of YouScooper Maryjoy Dometita showed the amount of plumes released by Bulusan Volcano at 3:37 a.m. on Sunday that lasted for 18 minutes, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

PHIVOLCS Director and Science Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. said the plume rose up to one kilometer high.

Currently, Alert Level 1 (low-level unrest) is still maintained in the Bulusan Volcano.

PHIVOLCS could not see the parameters needed yet to escalate the alert level to 2, Solidum said. —KG, GMA News