Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Volcanic unrest on Whakaari (White Island) - should we be nervous?

Bay of Plenty Times
30 Oct, 2019 06:58 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

White Island, off the Bay of Plenty coast pictured after an eruption in 2013. Photo / File

White Island, off the Bay of Plenty coast pictured after an eruption in 2013. Photo / File

Volcanic unrest continues at Whakaari (White Island) and some monitored parameters show an increase in activity but volcanologists are uncertain what this means.

Hazards on the island remain unchanged and the volcanic alert level remains at level 1.

Over the last several months GNS Science volcanologist Yannik Behr said the team had observed a change in the amount of SO2 gas output and level of volcanic tremor - both showing an increasing trend and are at the highest level since 2016.

The SO2 gas originates from magma (molten rocks) at depth and the data suggested a possible increase in gas passing through the volcano from depth he said.

"Volcanic tremors can occur for many reasons, including the movement of gas through the volcano, changes in the geothermal system, and even surface activity like geysering or ash emissions."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Changes in volcano monitoring parameters were common and could be explained by a range of processes, including an increased level of unrest, or general variations in background and surface activity Behr said.

"Slight uncertainty about the exact meaning of these changes arises from these possible
processes.

"The crater lake level has been rising since early August. The rising lake level has impacted the surface activity around the active vents on the west side of the crater floor, and geysering-type activity has been observed in this area."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Other recent measurements made on the island from soil gas, fumarole and water chemistry, ground deformation, magnetics, visual images from the web cameras, and earthquake activity showed no significant changes he confirmed.

"Overall, none of the monitored parameters are outside the expected range for minor volcanic unrest and associated hazards.

"While the pattern of signals shows similarities with the 2011-2016 period and could suggest that Whakaari (White Island) may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal recent observations can also be explained by the increased gas flux which leads to geysering and lake level changes."

According to Behr the link between gas flux and future activity is not well understood and the subject of ongoing research efforts.

The volcanic alert level remains at level 1. There is no change in the aviation colour code: Green.

Discover more

More than $30,000 for local care-giving grandparents

29 Oct 08:05 PM

Scorching Bay! Hot weather coming to the region

29 Oct 09:23 PM

Volcanic unrest at White Island, eruption more likely than usual

25 Nov 01:11 AM

GNS Science and the National Geohazards Monitoring Centre continues to closely monitor
Whakaari/White Island for further signs of activity.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Mixed verdicts delivered for Tribesmen accused of murdering one of their own

11 Jul 05:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Pair deny charges over death of Paige Johnson in alleged hit-and-run

11 Jul 12:26 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

10 Jul 11:07 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Mixed verdicts delivered for Tribesmen accused of murdering one of their own

Mixed verdicts delivered for Tribesmen accused of murdering one of their own

11 Jul 05:00 AM

Mark 'Shark' Hohua died in June 2022 after a violent assault over money.

Pair deny charges over death of Paige Johnson in alleged hit-and-run

Pair deny charges over death of Paige Johnson in alleged hit-and-run

11 Jul 12:26 AM
Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

10 Jul 11:07 PM
Heavy rain warning issued for Bay of Plenty, up to 140mm expected

Heavy rain warning issued for Bay of Plenty, up to 140mm expected

10 Jul 10:57 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP