Bulusan calm again; 10 quakes recorded  

MANILA, Philippines — Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon appears to be calming down with only 10 volcanic earthquakes recorded in the past 24 hours.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the volcano’s seismic activity decreased compared to 69 incidents the other day.

Phivolcs said Bulusan continued to release steam that rose up to 500 meters and drifted southwest and west-southwest.

The volcano remains under Alert Level 1 or low level of unrest, with possibilities of sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.

Phivolcs reminded the public that entry into the four-kilometer permanent danger zone and entry without vigilance into the two-kilometer extended danger zone remain prohibited.

The agency said Bulusan’s edifice is still inflated, an indication of activity in the volcano.

Following the volcano’s second phreatic eruption on Sunday, some of the evacuated families have been allowed to return to their homes yesterday.

Soldiers belonging to the Army’s 31st Infantry Battalion and other government responders are helping in ashfall-clearing activities in affected areas.

Ash that covered roads and houses in Barangay Lungib in Casiguran town has been cleared.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it is ramping up relief operations in affected areas.

Irene Dumlao, DSWD social marketing service officer-in-charge, said the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center recorded that more than P1.6 million in humanitarian assistance was distributed to families seeking shelter at evacuation centers in Juban and Irosin towns.

More than P500,000 was released to affected local government units to augment relief supply.

Dumlao said latest monitoring showed that 10,707 families were affected by Bulusan’s eruption, with 145 still in evacuation centers.

The Philippine Coast Guard said its station in Sorsogon helped in the decampment of 124 families or 456 residents of Barangays Puting Sapa and Dayhag in Juban. –  Rainier Allan Ronda, Robertzon Ramirez