Mt. Bulusan erupts, Alert Level 1 raised

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April 28, 2025 | 11:02am

MANILA, Philippines — Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon experienced a phreatic eruption early Monday morning, April 28, prompting state volcanologists to raise Alert Level 1 over the volcano.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) explained that Alert Level 1 indicated low-level unrest with chances of more phreatic eruptions. 

“A phreatic eruption occurred from the summit crater of Bulusan Volcano at 04:36 AM today, 28 April 2025, and lasted 24 minutes based on seismic and infrasound records. The event produced a bent plume that rose 4,500 meters above the crater before drifting west to southwest,” Phivolcs said in an advisory. 

Ashfall was seen in the localities of Irosin, Juban, and Magallanes in Sorsogon. 

Pyroclastic density current (PDCs), or a hot flow of volcanic materials, was seen travelling three kilometers from the summit. 

Phivolcs recorded 53 volcanic earthquakes on April 27. 

Local officials have been instructed to enforce the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone, along with an additional 2-kilometer extended danger zone.

State volcanologists have also warned of potential PDCs, projectiles, rockfall and avalanches.

Phivolcs advised that civil aviation authorities instruct pilots to avoid the area around the volcano's summit due to the potential for a phreatic eruption.

“Furthermore, people living within valleys and along river/stream channels especially on the southeast, southwest and northwest sector of the edifice should be vigilant against sediment-laden stream flows and lahars in the event of heavy and prolonged rainfall should phreatic eruption occur,” Phivolcs said.