“Explosion signal recorded at Pinatubo Volcano,” says PHIVOLCS in 4 p.m. advisory


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“Explosion signal recorded at Pinatubo Volcano,” says PHIVOLCS in 4 p.m. advisory


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November 30, 2021

(Eagle News) – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) issued an advisory on Tuesday, Nov. 30, of “an explosion signal recorded at Pinatubo Volcano.”

PHIVOLCS, in its 4 p.m. advisory, said that the Pinatubo Volcano Network “recorded seismic and infrasound signals of a weak explosion at Mt. Pinatubo between 12:09 PM and 12:13PM” today.

“The event produced a plume that was detected by the Himawari-8 Satellite and reported to DOST (Department of Science and Technology)-PHIVOLCS by the Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center,” it said.

Infrasound, also known as low-frequency sound, refer to sound waves with a frequency below the lower limit of human audibility. These are sounds beneath 20 Hz down to 0.1 Hz, the frequency range for monitoring earthquakes and volcanoes.

PHIVOLCS said that “the seismic and infrasound signals are not typical of known volcanic processes and are currently being evaluated together with other potential sources” such as aircraft activity, ordinance disposal, and others.

“In addition, there has been very low seismic activity in the past days and geochemical survey of the Pinatubo Crater Lake this November 2021 yielded low diffuse volcanic CO2 flux (257 tonnes/day), discounting magmatic activity beneath the edifice,” the PHIVOLCS advisory said.

Because of this, DOST-PHIVOLCS warned the public, saying that they should avoid venturing or entering areas in the vicinity of Pinatubo Volcano at this time.

“Local government units are advised to prohibit entry into Pinatubo Crater until the source of the above explosion event has been determined and to report to us any related information,” the PHIVOLCS advisory said.

“Communities and local government units surrounding Pinatubo are reminded to be always prepared for both earthquake and volcanic hazards and to review, prepare and strengthen their contingency, emergency and other disaster preparedness plans,” it said.

DOST-PHIVOLCS said it “continues to strengthen its monitoring of the volcano with ongoing upgrades to the PVN (Pinatubo Volcano Network), periodic geochemical surveys of the Pinatubo Crater lake and GPS and satellite analysis of ground deformation.”

“DOST-PHIVOLCS is closely monitoring the volcano’s condition and any new development will be relayed to all concerned,” it added.

Pinatubo’s last major eruption was in 1991. The volcano’s cataclysmic eruption on June 15, 1991 was reported as the second-largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century after the 1912 eruption of Novarupta in Alaska.


(Eagle News Service)

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