NDRRMC: Asthmatic man living near restive Bulusan Volcano dies

An asthmatic man became the first fatality amid heightened activity of Bulusan Volcano, disaster management officials said late Thursday. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) identified the fatality as Rolando Purino Jr., 28, of Cogon village in Irosin town in Sorsogon. "[Purino], from Cogon [village] in Irosin town, was reported dead; he had been diagnosed with asthma," the NDRRMC said in its 5 p.m. report Thursday. While it did not make clear if Purino died due to respiratory problems from the ash fall, authorities had advised residents to take precautions against ash fall from the volcano. NDRRMC said Bulusan's activity has affected at least 2,712 families or 13,561 people in 18 villages in Casiguran, Juban and Irosin towns. Five evacuation centers are now serving 62 families or 284 people. On the other hand, NDRRMC said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) detected 20 volcanic quakes from Wednesday until early Thursday morning. Weak emission of white steam was observed early Thursday. Alert level "1," which was raised over Bulusan when it first spewed ash last Nov. 6, remains in effect, Phivolcs said. It reminded residents not to venture into the four-kilometer permanent danger zone. — LBG GMANews.TV