STATE volcanologists said on Tuesday that they may raise the alert status at Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon province to Alert Level 1 if the increased seismic activity would persist in the coming days.A handout video grab photo from a CCTV footage taken on Friday by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) shows plume of ash from Mount Bulusan in the rural Sorsogon province, south of Manila.AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPINES INSTITUTE OF VOLCANORenato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), told The Manila Times that they issued an advisory to reiterate its warning to residents that entry into the volcano's four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) remains prohibited.“Alert Level 0, which means normal, is still maintained over Bulusan Volcano but it is subject to change should current activity persist,” Solidum said.The Phivolc’s advisory came after the Bulusan Volcano Network (TVN) has recorded a total of 62 volcanic earthquakes since May 7.In the past 24 hours, Solidum said Bulusan recorded 23 volcanic earthquakes.Phivolcs said ground deformation data indicate short-term slight inflation since February 2021 while the long-term trend from July 2019 denotes that the edifice is still deflated.“The increased seismic activity and short-term ground deformation are likely caused by shallow hydrothermal processes beneath the edifice,” it said.“Since hydrothermal processes are underway beneath the volcano, there are increased chances of steam-driven or phreatic eruptions from its active vents,” it added.Warning was also issued by the Phivolcs for civil aviation authorities to advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.Furthermore, people living within valleys and along river/stream channels especially on the southeast, southwest and northwest sector of the edifice should be vigilant against sediment-laden stream flows and lahars in the event of heavy and prolonged rainfall, Solidum said.Asked about the possibility of raising the alert level status over the Sorsogon volcano in the next few days, the Phivolcs chief said they were closely monitoring its activity.“In raising it to Alert Level 1, which means abnormal condition, we will first have to closely monitor if the seismic activity will be sustained,” he said.Phivolcs said the volcano's last eruption was before dawn on April 8, 2007 when it sent ash up to five kilometers high.
