Mount Bulusan Erupts

The volcano erupted around 10:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) May. 12, 2007 and winds first blew the ash plume toward the southwest and later shifted to the north, volcanologists said.

Bulusan, about 390 kilometers southeast of Manila, is one of the 22 active volcanos in the Philippines.

It was the sixth eruption of the 1,560-meter Mount Bulusan this year, said Espie del Mundo of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Bulusan Volcano is located at the south central part of Sorsogon Province. It covers a surface area roughly 400 sq. km. and towers to about 1559 m. above sea level. The volcano forms part of the Bicol  volcanic Chain which stretches from Camarines Norte in the north to Sorsogon in the south. The chain, sometimes called volcanic belt, is composed of active and geologically young volcanoes most probably related to the Philippine Trench.

Recent Activity:

• In April 1981 following an 8-day earthquake swarm several explosions ejected tephra clouds that reached 8 km in height.
• In late June 1983 mild phreatic explosions occurred from the summit crater with eruption clouds reaching 1200 m.
• During 1985 to early 1987 several seismic swarms have been recorded and strong volcanic earthquakes have occurred from late October to early December 1987.
• Small ash eruptions occurred in February and March 1988. High level of seismicity from April to August 1988.
• A series of phreatic eruptions began on Nov. 27, 1994 and continued through Jan. 28, 1995. Eruptive column reached heights of as much as 3 km and spread ash upto 16 km away.
• June 13, 2006, volcanologists said new craters were created by the mild explosions of Mt. Bulusan
• Another major eruption took place on April 8, 2007