Several villagers living near Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon were evacuated after the volcano made another phreatic explosion, spewing heavy ash that affected at least three towns.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the evacuation was continuing as of Sunday morning, although an initial 103 families or 438 individuals from the town of Juban have been moved to government-run shelters.
“We received a report that there were ashfall incidents in the towns of Casiguran, Juban and Irosin,” the NDRRMC said.
Arian Aguallo, spokesman of the local disaster office of Juban, said the phreatic explosion occurred at around 3:37 a.m., sending ash into different communities.
“The ashfall was scattered and was not only concentrated in some barangays. There are traces of ashfall in almost all areas of Juban, it was not only concentrated in a number of barangays.
There are selected barangays where the ashfall is heavy,” Aguallo said.
The barangays, which are near Bulusan are Puting Sapa, Bacolod, Buraburan, Catanusan, Calateo, Aroroy and Rangas.
Despite the latest eruption, no casualty was reported, with Juban asking its residents to stay inside their houses.
On June 6, the volcano also made a phreatic explosion that forced the evacuation of several families.
Ashfall also affected several barangays, especially in Juban.