Bulusan Volcano shows signs of restiveness

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) may raise Bulusan Volcano's alert status to Level 1 if it continues to show signs of restiveness.

Phivolcs director Teresito «Toto» Bacolcol told The Manila Times via Viber that the volcano has been showing increased seismic activity in the past week.

The agency issued a notice following the 87 volcanic earthquakes recorded by the Bulusan Volcano Network (BVN) since October 14, 2023.

PHOTO BY PHIVOLCS-DOST

«Of these, 29 were volcano-tectonic or VT earthquakes associated with rock fracturing processes occurring 1 to 8 kilometers beneath the southern and western sector of Bulusan Volcano,» he said.

The Phivolcs chief said degassing at the active summit crater and vents have been weak to moderate this week while sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emissions last October 19, 2023 was measured at 241 tons/day.

«The above parameters indicate that hydrothermal activity driven by deep magma degassing may be occurring beneath the volcano and may lead to steam-driven eruptions at any of the summit vents,» he said.

«If the parameters of the volcano would continue to go up, we will raise the alert status to Level 1, which means there is a low level of volcanic unrest,» he said.

The agency urged the public not to enter the Permanent Danger Zone due to the possibility of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruption, rockfall and landslides.

Bulusan last erupted in June last year.