Mount Bulusan ejecting ash plume

Mount Bulusan (Wikimedia Commons)

MANILA — Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Friday advised pilots flying near Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon to “exercise extreme caution” following the volcano’s expelling of ash.

In an ash fall notice to airmen (ASHTAM) released at 3:30 p.

m., CAAP urged pilots flying near the area to be extra careful when passing between Lopez and Masbate airspace for the next 24 hours.

ASHTAM is a special notice to airmen (NOTAM) that alerts a change in activity of a volcano, a volcanic eruption and/or volcanic ash cloud significant to aircraft operations.

It was released after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) issued a yellow alert after Mt. Bulusan expelled ash plume, reaching 200 meters above its summit and moving west to northwest.

Phivolcs for its part, reminded the public to keep out of the four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone due to possible eruptions.

It also advised people living within valleys and along river/stream channels to be vigilant against sediment-laden stream flows and lahars in the event of heavy and prolonged rainfall.

At present, Philvocs continues to closely monitor the volcano’s condition.