CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — Filipino and international scientists who played key roles in monitoring and forecasting the catastrophic 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo returned to the volcano on June 12, retracing the site of one of the most significant volcanic events of the 20th century ahead of its 35th anniversary next week.
The trek capped an international conference organized by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), bringing together scientists and researchers who helped guide disaster preparedness efforts before and during the June 1991 eruption.
Among those who joined the visit were Heather Wright and Beth Bartel of the United States Geological Survey; retired USGS geologists Andy Lockhart and Christopher Newhall; Marta Calvache, vice president of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior; and Filipino volcanologists Arturo Daag, Raymond Maximo, Timothy John Daita, and Rey Lumbang.
The gathering highlighted the enduring scientific collaboration between Philippine and international experts whose monitoring and forecasting efforts in 1991 helped save thousands of lives by enabling timely evacuations before the massive eruption.
The June 15, 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo is regarded as the second-largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, dramatically reshaping the landscape of Central Luzon and affecting communities across the Philippines and beyond.
The visit served as both a scientific field activity and a tribute to the lessons learned from the disaster, underscoring the importance of continued research, monitoring, and international cooperation in volcanic hazard mitigation. DENG PANGILINAN/ IORBITNEWS TEAM
Photo courtesy of PHIVOLCS.