Tourism halted in Sorsogon towns hit by Bulusan’s ash

ALL SMILES AMID THE GRIME These children, wearing face masks for protection, pose for the camera on Tuesday as residents and government workers start massive operation to clear roads and rooftops of volcanic ash that fell on Juban, Sorsogon, after the phreatic eruption of Mt. Bulusan on Monday. —SORSOGON PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE PHOTO

LEGAZPI CITY—Tourists and visitors were urged to temporarily postpone travels to the towns in Sorsogon affected by Mt. Bulusan’s phreatic eruption early on Monday.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) Bicol travel advisory came on Monday just as massive cleanup were under way in areas hit by volcanic ashfall. Residents in affected towns were also advised to put on face masks, most of which were provided by the government through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

DOT Bicol also advised visitors to “monitor travel cancellations and anticipate possible rerouting schemes.”

In Juban town, Mayor Gloria Alindogan ordered the closure of resorts and the suspension of tourism activities within the locality, “until further notice.”

The local government of Juban has allowed about 80 families affected by the phreatic eruption of Mt. Bulusan to go home after their villages that were covered with volcanic ash were cleared on Tuesday.

‘No one can tell’

Mt. Bulusan erupted at 4:36 a.m. on Monday, which lasted for 24 minutes and produced 4.5-kilometer high plume, prompting the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to raise alert level 1 over the volcano, which means low-level unrest with increased chances of more phreatic eruptions.

Arvee Lodronio, Juban’s municipal disaster risk reduction and management office head, said their affected villages were cleared of volcanic ash after continuous clearing operations and Tuesday’s rain.

But the families allowed to go home were advised to be vigilant in case of another eruption, he said.

CLEARING OPERATION This man on Tuesday uses a walis tingting or broomstick to clear the roof a house in Juban, Sorsogon of the thick ash spewed by Bulusan Volcano when it erupted on Monday. -SORSOGON PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT INFORMATION OFFICE

“According to Phivolcs, the volcanic quakes are not the main basis of eruption, it’s just a parameter. So, regardless of its number, no one can tell when it will erupt … And in alert level 1, there is no evacuation order yet based on the manual of the Department of the Interior and Local Government,” he added.

In its Tuesday bulletin, Phivolcs said it recorded 89 volcanic earthquakes, including two volcanic tremors in the past 24-hour monitoring.

Traces of 1-millimeter-thick ash were reported in the villages of Cogon, Tinampo, Omagom, Gulang-Gulang and Bolos in Irosin town; in the villages of Puting Sapa, Buraburan and Guruyan in Juban; and the villages of Tula-tula Sur, Caditaan, Cadandanan, Siuton, Salvacion and Busay in Magallanes town.

Prior to the eruption, a total of 53 volcanic earthquakes were recorded on the Sunday monitoring and some locals also heard audible rumbling sounds from the volcano 15 minutes before its eruption.

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who personally visited the province on Tuesday, said he was tasked by President Marcos to ensure help would reach the affected residents and their local governments.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development provided 20,000 food packs to the provincial government that were distributed starting Monday. The province also prepared 18,000 food packs for the ashfall victims, Sorsogon provincial administrator Eric Ravanilla said.