Escudero orders preemptive evacuation

LEGAZPI CITY: Owing to the increasing restiveness of Bulusan Volcano, the provincial go-vernment of Sorsogon has enforced the preventive evacuation of children, women and senior citizens from Puting Sapa village in Juban town on Friday.

The possibility of a sudden volcanic eruption due to increasing seismic activity in Bulusan prompted the disaster management officials to enforce preemptive evacuation and move the people away from the danger zone.

The evacuated residents were brought to Tughan Evacuation Center for temporary shelter.

Gov. Francis "Chiz" Escudero also ordered the residents on Friday not to venture within the five- to six-kilometer extended permanent danger zone (PDZ) as Bulusan Volcano might explode anytime.

Escudero extended the five- to six-kilometer PDZ from the original four kilometers, following the increasing abnormalities exhibited by the volcano.

Citing the increasing volcanic earthquakes and ground deformation of the volcano, Escudero said that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded at least 149 earthquakes since Sunday, June 5, when the volcano produced a sluggish gray ash plume that rose more than a kilometer high. It also dispersed wet ash to the west coincident with rainfall over the edifice.

"Because of this parameter, any activity within the 5- to 6-kilometer extended PDZ is strictly prohibited," Escudero, who has recently been elected senator, said.

"The disaster responders such as SPDRRMO, PEO, PNP, AFP, BFP and MDRRMOs are ready to evacuate those residents who might be affected in the municipalities of Juban, Irosin and Bulusan. The PSWDO and the provincial health office are also ready to provide water, food and medical needs," the governor added.

Raden Dimaano, SPDRRMC head, also said in an advisory that all activities within the 5- to 6-kilometer extended danger zone have been cancelled.

"The general public is hereby directed to take precautionary measures. Alert Level 1 status remains over Bulusan Volcano," he said.

Phivolcs warned of the possible explosion of the Bulusan Volcano due to increasing seismic activity since Thursday.

Source: TheManila Times