NDRRMC: Bulusan Volcano calms down but alert level 1 remains

Bulusan Volcano in Bicol was relatively calm in the last 24 hours, but the area remains under Alert Level 1, disaster management officials said on Wednesday. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said no volcanic quake was recorded around Bulusan in the last 24 hours and steam emission was weak. "No volcanic earthquake was recorded by the seismic network around Bulusan Volcano during the past 24 hours. Very weak to weak emission of white steam was observed from the Southeast thermal vent," the NDRRMC said in its 8 a.m. bulletin posted on its website. It added that as of 5:20 a.m. Wednesday, no steaming was observed from the summit crater and thermal vents at the volcano's upper slope. The NDRRMC also said no sulphur dioxide emission was detected from the volcano as of Tuesday. Still, the NDRRMC said Alert Level 1 remains over Bulusan, even as it reminded residents not to venture into the 4-km permanent danger zone. It also reminded people near valleys and streams to be vigilant against sediment-laden steam flows in case of heavy and continuous rainfall. Residents in the volcano's northwest and southwest sectors were advised to take precautions against ash falls. Civil aviation authorities were also advised not to fly too close to the volcano's summit, as ash and volcanic fragments may endanger aircraft. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level at Bulusan to "1" on November 6 after Bulusan ejected ash and steam. – VVP, GMANews.TV