Ash covers towns after Philippines volcano eruption

This handout photo taken and released on Jun 5, 2022 by the Sorsogon Provincial Public Information Office shows vehicles driving past ash-covered houses and vegetation in Juban town, Sorsogon province, after Bulusan volcano erupted sending a plume of ash over the area. (Handout/Sorsogon Provincial Public Information Office/AFP)

MANILA: A volcano in the eastern Philippines spewed a huge, dark cloud on Sunday (Jun 5), prompting evacuations from ash-covered towns while authorities warned of possible further eruptions.

The blast from Bulusan volcano in the rural Sorsogon province lasted about 17 minutes, sending a grey plume shooting up at least 1km, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

No casualties were reported, but authorities raised the alert level to one on the five-level system, indicating "low-level unrest".

"There was a phreatic eruption of the Bulusan volcano, meaning the explosion was caused by the boiling water under the crater," institute head Renato Solidum told local radio DZBB.

A group of 14 hikers and four local guides were midway down the 1,565m mountain, unaware that an ash cloud was shooting up on the other side of the mountain, civil defence official Leo Ferreras of nearby Barcelona town told AFP by phone.

"All of them got down safe and sound," he added.

The local government of Sorsogon, about 500km south of the capital Manila, said 10 villages in two towns were affected by the ashfall.

Images of the aftermath showed houses, roads, and trees in Juban town covered in ash, with vehicles struggling to navigate the road due to poor visibility.

Authorities deployed a fire truck to clear the area and residents helped sweep the ash off the roads.

"The evacuation is ongoing there, but our priority is senior citizens and those with asthma," he told AFP.

The Manila airport authority said no flights have been affected by the eruption so far, though pilots have been warned about coming near the area.

Authorities reminded residents that entry into the 4km radius around the volcano is prohibited and advised those living next to it to be cautious "due to the increased possibilities of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions".

Residents near the valleys and rivers were also alerted about the danger of mud and stream flows in the event of heavy rainfall.

Bulusan volcano has been active in recent years, with a dozen similar eruptions recorded in 2016 and 2017.

The Philippines is located in the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has over 20 active volcanoes.

This article was originally published on Channel News Asia on 5 June 2022. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes. 

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