Philippines aftermath: Ash blankets trees, roads, houses after volcanic eruption

POWERFUL BLAST: The blast from Mr Bulusan (height: 1,565 metres) sent a plume of black ash shooting up at least one kilometre in the air on Sunday (June 5). The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PhiVolcs) stated the eruption lasted about 17 minutes. There are three active volcanoes in the Bicol region, out of the 24 active in the archipelagic country (there are a total of 300 known volcanoes in the country, most of which are extinct or dormant). On Monday, volcanologists warned another steam-driven eruption possible in "the days, weeks, months" ahead.

AFTERMATH: Some of the images of the aftermath of volcanic eruption in Sorsogon province, shows ash-covered houses, roads, and trees in Juban town while poor visibility affected road transport. Sorsogon is the southern-most part on the main island of Luzon (where Manila is). More than a thousand families in Sorsogon were ordered to evacuate.

ASHFALL: In Juban town alone, about 1,500 families were affected by the ashfall, according to Arvee Lodronio, head of the town’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO). Mount Bulusan erupted at around 10:30 am on Sunday, spewing out gray plumes and raining down ash on several villages in Juban town and the adjoining municipality of Irosin.

EVACUATION: About 1,000 residents in ash-covered towns and villages were ordered to evacuate after the Bulusan volcano spewed a huge, dark cloud on Sunday. On Monday, local volcanologists warned of possible further eruptions. The local disaster relief agency and fire department personnel were on hand to helped in the evacuation.

STEAM-DRIVEN: The eruption was driven by “phreatic” activity — meaning "the explosion was caused by the boiling water under the crater," PhiVolcs head Renato Solidum told a local media. Another steam-driven eruption in possible in days, weeks, months ahead, the official said. Over the past 400 years, there have been a total of 44 significant eruptions recorded in the Philippines.

VILLAGES AFFECTED: The local government of Sorsogon province, about 500 kilometres (310 miles) south of the capital Manila, said 10 villages in two towns were affected by the massive ashfall. The alert level was raised to one on the five-level system, indicating "low-level unrest”.

NO ENTRY: Civil defence official Leo Ferreras of nearby Barcelona town told local media that group of 14 hikers and four local guides were midway down the volcano, unaware that an ash cloud was shooting up on the other side of the mountain. “All of them got down safe and sound," he added. Authorities reminded residents that entry into the 4-km radius around Bulusan volcano is prohibited. Those living next to the vocation were advised to be cautious "due to the increased possibilities of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions".

ROAD CLEARING : Authorities deployed fire trucks to clear the area and residents helped sweep the ash off the roads. During the evacuation, the our priority is senior citizens and those with asthma," Juban disaster official Dennis Despabiladeras said.

MUD ALERT: Residents near the valleys and rivers were also alerted about the danger of mud and stream flows in the event of heavy rainfall. Bulusan is an active volcano has been active in recent years. A dozen similar eruptions recorded in 2016 and 2017.

'RING OF FIRE': The Philippines is located in the seismically active area and has 24 active volcanoes, according to Statista. The archipelago belongs to the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire” where the oceanic Philippine plate and several smaller micro-plates are subducting along the Philippine Trench to the east, and the Luzon, Sulu and several other small Trenches to the West.