Massive Ash fall in Irosin and Juban alarms farmers and residents

by: Irma A. Guhit

Sorsogon City, (PIA) - The aftermath of the Mt. Bulusan volcano ash explosion last Monday, February 21  has created not only fear from the local residents of Irosin, Bulan and Juban but the more pressing concern on the effect of the ashes on the agricultural and health issues.

Photo: Ma. Consuelo G. Balaora, DAR Irosin

Reports coming from farmers and farm owners forwarded to the Department of Agrarian Reform  Municipal Office(DARMO) in Irosin the coverage of the ash fall has greatly affected the ricefields and if no rainfall will be observed within this week the ashes will just stick on the palay plants and this will have an effect on the harvest this season.

Photo: Ma. Consuelo G. Balaora, DAR Irosin

The assessment and report coming from the Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) here on the impact of the ashfall and are still to be validated, on the physical side and looking at the volume of ashes that covered the ricefields in Irosin,Juban and some parts of Bulan this is visually seen even from afar.

 Residents are also fearful that if there will also be  heavy rains it will also trigger an induced lahar flow in the different areas in their place and will also affect those low lying areas and their river systems.

Meanwhile the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)- LGU Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Engr. Maribeth L. Fruto  said that proper coordination with DENR -Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) has been done to find out the water quality and air quality in the area within Irosin , Juban and Bulan.

"We are now conducting water sampling and air quality monitoring," Engr. Fruto said." We are also coordinating with the local government executives, the water districts and the health officer of all the affected municipalities to inform the residents to take the necessary precautions and boil their drinking water."

"The local government of Irosin and Bulan will be conducting this afternoon at 1:00 PM a massive clean up activity together with the Bureau of Fire Protection in the schools, public buildings and the road of the national highway.Proper coordination with respective agencies are also being done to facilitate initiatives to address the problem.", Irosin Mayor Jun Ong said."The BFP will conduct flashing and we are also requesting local residents to do the same in cleaning their homes to avoid some diseases brought about by this event especially asthma and pneumonia.Hopefully with this concerted effort we will be really doing our share as participative citizens." (PIA-Sorsogon)