Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Volcano spews ash, but no imminent eruption seen
MANILA -- The restive Bulusan volcano spewed ash and shuddered in a new series of mild explosions Tuesday evening, but scientists said a major eruption is not imminent.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or Phivolcs said the volcano, about 390 kilometers (240 miles) southeast of Manila, went into a series of ash explosions, belching ash columns as high as 1.5 kilometers.
"The possibility of a more hazardous explosion is there, but is not imminent," said Renato Solidum, head of the institute.
He said authorities have not raised the alert level for the 1,560-meter (5,149-foot) volcano from Alert Level 2, which was put in place on June 7.
Alert level 2 -- out of five alert levels -- means the volcano is undergoing a moderate level of volcanic unrest, with elevated levels of any of the following indicators: gas emission, ash ejection, sulfur dioxide emission, and swelling of the volcano edifice.
No casualties or damage have been reported so far, said Orlando Guartacasa, an officer of the Phivolcs operations center near the volcano.
Tuesday's ash explosion is the seventh such episode since March 21, Phivolcs said.
Solidum advised residents in the area to cover their mouths and noses with masks or wet towels to prevent ash inhalation, and to shut their windows and doors.
The Philippines, which has 22 active volcanoes, is in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common.
In June 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the northern Philippines exploded in one of the world's biggest volcanic eruptions in the 20th century. (AP)
(June 14, 2006 issue)
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