Pinatubo not erupting, Phivolcs assures Central Luzon folk

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — The government’s chief volcanologist assured Central Luzon folk yesterday that Mt. Pinatubo remains calm and is definitely not erupting again.

Raymundo Punongbayan, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), allayed the residents’ apprehension that the volcano, whose catastrophic eruption in 1991 killed scores of people and caused widespread damage, has again showed signs of restiveness.

This, after Aetas from Sitio Nagsasa in Barangay Pundakit in San Antonio, Zambales reported seeing fireballs and hearing rumbling sounds in their area.

On the other hand, Aetas in Barangays Inararo and Kamias in Porac, Pampanga reported an unusual migration of snakes which, they fear, might indicate a forthcoming volcanic eruption.

"Sitio Nagsasa is not a volcanic area and is not located in the area of the Pinatubo mountain ranges," Punongbayan said.

He said Nagsasa used to be a marshland where organic debris from mangrove vegetation could have accumulated and spawned natural gas which ignites and produces balls of fire. Fireballs are a common phenomenon in mangrove areas.

Punongbayan said the rumbling sounds could have been caused by landslides on Mt. Pinatubo’s slopes. Such landslides could also produce clouds of dust.

At the Inararo and Kamias resettlements, Aetas noted an unusual migration of snakes, a favorite delicacy of the natives.

But Abel Garcia, a leader of a non-government organization helping the Aetas at Kamias, said such a snake migration was not observed before Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991 and thus, may be attributed to other factors.

"Our seismograph on Mt. Pinatubo’s slopes is just about five or six kilometers from the crater and it has not recorded any activity (indicating) that the volcano is acting up again," Punongbayan said.