By Myris Lee
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) in Barcelona, Sorsogon rescued on Sunday, June 5, 14 hikers and four tour guides climbing Mount Bulusan during its eruption.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) Spokesperson Mark Timbal said most of the hikers are tourists from the National Capital Region and Calabarzon area who climbed up the volcano a day before the eruption.
“We received [information] that 14 hikers with four guides were on a trail within the danger zone during the eruption but they were all able to get to safety afterwards in the municipality of Barcelona,” Timbal said.
Due to the incident, some authorities recommended a total ban to tourist hikers in potential active volcanoes in the country, with or without alert level, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Director Renato Solidum.
“Ang kailangan maintindihan ng lahat na kahit Alert Level 0 ay pwedeng magkaroon ng phreatic eruption. Nilalagay natin ang ating buhay sa peligro kung sakaling tayo ay pupunta,” Solidum said in the June 6 Laging Handa briefing.
“Itong pagpapatupad kung anong gagawin sa mga summit o tuktok ng bulkan ay kailangan pag usapan ng mabuti with the LGUs. Mas maganda kung mayroon sila safe distance at hindi doon sa mismong crater na talagang posibleng pag sabugan ng bulkan,” Solidum added.
Phivolcs raised Bulusan Volcano’s alert level status to Alert Level 1, indicating low-level unrest. – gb
