Long-dormant New Zealand volcano erupts
NEW ZEALAND: A New Zealand volcano has erupted unexpectedly after
lying dormant for more than a century, spewing an ash plume that
disrupted flights and closed highways, officials said Tuesday.
The Mount Tongariro volcano, in the middle of North Island, erupted
just before midnight (1200 Monday GMT) in the first significant activity
at the site since 1897, the official monitoring body GNS Science said.
Police said witnesses reported "flame-like explosions and a cloud of
ash coming from a new hole in the side of the mountain".
"There were rocks being thrown out. It was like thunder and lightning
and fireworks. It was spectacular," local resident David Bennett told
Fairfax Media.
Police said there were no reports of injuries or damage, although
they were checking wilderness huts in the remote area which are used by
hikers for shelter.
Civil Defence said the eruption did not result in any lava flows but
sent a cloud of ash 20,000 feet (6,100 metres) into the atmosphere,
forcing the cancellation of dozens of domestic flights.
While Civil Defence officials did not order any evacuations, they
advised residents beneath the cloud to stay indoors with windows and
doors sealed.
Volcanologists admitted the eruption took them by surprise, with no
seismic activity recorded at the slumbering volcano before it rumbled
back to life.
With GNS Science warning further eruptions could occur at any time,
Prime Minister John Key said authorities were watching the situation
closely.
"Civil Defence and others will continue to monitor the situation and
if we believe it presents more significant risks then obviously we'll
make sure that everyone's well and truly notified of that," he told
reporters.
New Zealand lies on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", where the
Earth's tectonic plates collide, making it a hotspot for earthquakes and
volcanic activity.
One of the country's deadliest disasters occurred in 1953, when
debris from an eruption at Mount Ruapehu, also in the central North
Island, downed a rail bridge, leading to a train derailment that claimed
151 lives.
AFP
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