The phreatic eruption of Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon has affected 2,784 families composed of 13,920 individuals, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Tuesday, June 7.
NDRRMC Spokesperson Mark Timbal said the affected residents were from the municipalities of Juban, Irosin, and Casiguran which were heavily affected by ash fall.
There were 58 families or 216 individuals who also had to be evacuated to Juban evacuation center due to ash fall incident.
“The Bulusan Volcano looks to be calmer now since there were no major eruption activities that were recorded. However, we continue to remind the residents to be cautious in entering the two-kilometer radius Extended Danger Zone and the prohibition from accessing the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone around the volcano,” Timbal said in a Laging Handa press briefing.
In a separate Cabinet meeting on Monday night, June 6, NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad told President Duterte that the eruption has caused P20,285,928 damage in agriculture.
There were a total of 3,698.76 hectares of high-value crops that were damaged, according to Jalad.
Meanwhile, there was no damage noted in the transportation, communication, power, or water systems.
Despite the improving situation, Jalad said the NDRRMC was continuously monitoring the situation in case a violent eruption takes place in the coming days.
“The Region 5 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the provincial government of Sorsogon are planning for the worst case scenario which is a violent eruption of Mt. Bulusan. If that happens, we will immediately expand the danger zone to six kilometers. About 95,000 individuals might be affected by this,” Jalad said.
Evacuation
The Philippine Army (PA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) have assisted in the evacuation of affected residents in Sorsogon and the clearing of ash fall and other debris.
Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., PA Commanding General, said personnel of the 31st Infantry Battalion (31IB) of the 9th Infantry Division (9ID) launched a humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operation for the village folk of Juban, Sorsogon.
The 31IB deployed 16 teams composed of 147 personnel, 20 military trucks and an ambulance for HADR efforts to assist 54 families in Barangay Puting Sapa, Juban, Sorsogon in their evacuation, Brawner said.
“No casualties have been reported and all evacuees, who stayed overnight at the Barangay Tughan evacuation center, already returned to their houses as of June 6. Power, water and communication services are normal while national roads and bridges remain passable,” Brawner said.
Meanwhile, Admiral Artemio Abu, PCG Commadant, said coast guardians assisted in setting up family tents at the Juban Gymnasium to house evacuees who have not been accommodated at the Juban evacuation center.