Bulusan, an active volcano in the eastern Philippine province of Sorsogon, erupted again Monday
Bulusan, an active volcano in the eastern Philippine province of Sorsogon, erupted again Monday
A Philippine volcano 250 km southeast of Manila erupted on Monday, spewing ash about a kilometer high into the sky above the volcano's crater, said the chief of the the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Renato Solidum told radio DzBB in an interview that Bulusan volcano in Sorsogon province that the steam-driven explosion took place at 7:36 a.m..

In its bulletin, the Phivolcs said it has detected a total of 24 volcanic earthquakes during the past 24 hours.

"Steaming activity could not be observed due to thick clouds covering the summit," the bulletin said.

It added that the volcano's sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 79 tonnes a day on Oct. 12.

Alert level 1 remains in effect over the volcano, which means "hydrothermal processes are underway beneath the volcano that may lead to more stream-driven eruptions."

The institute urged the residents around the volcano to stay away from the 4-kilometer radius permanent danger zone "due to the possibility of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions."

"Civil aviation authorities must also advice pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano's summit as ash from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft," the bulletin said.

Bulusan volcano, one of the Philippines' most active volcanoes, last erupted in November 1994, according to the institute records.

Source: Xinhua