Mt. Bulusan eruption: 180 residents evacuated in Sorsogon town; hikers among rescued
Fifty families composed of 180 individuals from Brgy. Puting Sapa in Juban, Sorsogon were evacuated due to the heavy ashfall and pungent odor brought by the phreatic eruption of Mt. Bulusan, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Monday, June 6.

NDRRMC Spokesperson Mark Timbal said the Council was “closely” monitoring the situation as it ordered the Bicol Regional DRRM Council (RDRRMC) to preposition teams and resources to support the affected local government units (LGUs) following Sunday’s steam-driven explosion.
“Most of the evacuees are the vulnerable sector such as children, pregnant women, and senior citizens,” Timbal told reporters.
He said among those rescued were 14 hikers and four tour guides who were on a trail in Barcelona town, which is located within the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ), during the eruption.
Accordingly, they had just left the camp site and were four hours into the descend when the eruption occurred. They safely got down around 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Timbal explained that some of the activities within the danger zone, such as hiking, were allowed by some local government units (LGUs) since Mt. Bulusan was initially placed under Alert Level 0, which means there was no monitored volcanic activity. Bulusan's alert level was raised to one after the eruption.
“The NDRRMC has issued a memorandum order to the Bicol Regional DRRM Council on preparedness and response measures following the eruption. In the memo, the Bicol RDRRMC was directed to ensure prohibition of entry into the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone and exercise of vigilance in the two-kilometer Extended Danger Zone due to the increased possibilities of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions,” Timbal said.
Meanwhile, class suspensions were implemented at Puting Sapa Elementary School, Sangkayon Elementary School, and Anog Elementary School in Juban town since these were “heavily” affected by ashfall.
Timbal said the NDRRMC directed LGUs especially in high-risk barangays to disseminate advisories from the authorities regarding the management of ashfall and other volcanic hazards.