Philippines raises alert level at active volcano after eruption sends ash 4.5km into sky

 Mount Bulusan, an active volcano in central Philippines, erupted early on Monday, sending ash 4.5 km into the sky.

The eruption was phreatic, or steam-driven, lasting 24 minutes from 4.36am local time, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) confirmed.

It produced a plume that reached 4.5km in height, triggering ashfall in Cogon and Bolos in Irosin, as well as in Puting Sapa, Guruyan, Buraburan, and Tulatula Sur in Juban, according to Rappler.

Phivolcs raised its alert level from 0 to 1, indicating low-level volcanic unrest and the risk of phreatic eruptions.

Scientists say that a phreatic eruption occurs when water beneath the earth’s surface comes into contact with hot magma or rocks, causing it to rapidly turn into steam and explode.

These eruptions are steam-driven, ejecting ash, gas, and debris, but do not involve new magma.

In the lead-up to the eruption on Monday, which took place between 4.36am and 5.00am, Phivolcs had detected 53 volcanic earthquakes over a 24-hour period, signalling increasing underground activity, according to Reuters.

About 15 minutes prior to the eruption, local government officials reported hearing “rumbling sounds”, which were also detected by Phivolcs’ infrasound sensors.

Bulusan Volcano, situated in Sorsogon province, is approximately 400 km southeast of the Philippine capital, Manila, and is one of the country’s most active volcanic sites.

Phivolcs also urged residents to remain vigilant within an expanded 2-kilometre danger zone on the volcano’s south-east flank, warning of the risk of ejected rocks, debris, rock falls and avalanches.

It added that ashfall had been reported in several nearby communities.

Civil aviation authorities were also instructed to alert pilots to avoid flying near Bulusan’s summit, due to the potential hazards posed by volcanic ash and sudden explosive events.

Phivolcs has also warned that more phreatic eruptions are possible, with potential hazards including pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), ballistic projectiles, rockfalls, avalanches, and ashfall.

PDCs are “hazardous mixtures of hot volcanic gas, ash, and fragmented rock” that travel down volcanic slopes at high speeds.

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