News Roundup 12 January 2020
Jan 12, 2020 • 2 min Read
DOH warns: Exposure to volcanic ash may cause health problems | INQUERER.NET – The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday warned the public of possible health risks of exposure to volcanic ash after Taal Volcano spouted a giant ash column. In an advisory, the DOH explained, “volcanic ash consists of powder-size to sand-size particles that have been blown into the air by an erupting volcano.” “Anyone who already suffers from health problems such as bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma should avoid exposure to volcanic ash,” the DOH said. The DOH listed the following as some of the health effects of volcanic ash: Nose and throat irritation; Coughing; Bronchitis-like illness; Discomfort while breathing; Eye irritation; and Minor skin problem.
Thousands flee their homes as Taal Volcano rumbles | PHILSTAR.COM – Taal Volcano spewed a massive cloud of ash into the sky on Sunday, forcing the precautionary evacuation of thousands of residents, authorities said. Government seismologists recorded magma moving towards the crater of Taal, one of the country’s most active volcanoes located 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Manila. That increases the chances of an eruption that could happen “within days to within weeks” if such activity continues, Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, told AFP.
Magnitude 5 earthquake jolts Surigao del Sur | Manila Bulletin – A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Cortes, Surigao del Sur at 6:53 p.m. Sunday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported. The earthquake was tectonic in origin and its epicenter traced 18 kilometers northeast of Cortes, Surigao del Sur with a depth of 28 kilometers. Instrumental Intensity II was felt in Surigao City.
Fire hits Legazpi Tower in Manila | The Manila Times – BFP-National Capital Region (NCR) said the fire started on the 7th floor of Legazpi Tower along Roxas Boulevard at 5:52 p.m. The fire reached fourth alarm as of posting time.
