Bulusan alert level raised to 1

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised the alert status of Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon from zero to 1 last night after recording more than 100 volcanic earthquakes in the past four days.

Phivolcs said a total of 124 volcanic tremors have been recorded since Saturday.

“The increased seismicity could be followed by steam-driven or phreatic eruptions at the summit crater or from flank vents on the upper to middle slopes,” the agency said in an advisory posted on its website.

Phivolcs said ground deformation data from real-time electronic tilt monitoring has been recording “sustained inflation” of the upper slopes since March 6, consistent with short-term inflation of the edifice measured by continuous GPS monitoring since February.

“These parameters indicate that volcanic processes are underway beneath the edifice that are likely caused by shallow hydrothermal activity,” it said.

Alert Level 1 means that the volcano is currently in an “abnormal condition.”

Phivolcs said entry into the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone must be strictly prohibited and that vigilance in the two-kilometer extended danger zone on the southeast sector must be exercised due to the increased possibility of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions.