Mount Taranaki eruption theme of Patea exhibition

An exhibition in Patea explores the possibility of Mt Taranaki erupting.

Opening at the Aotea Utanganui Museum of South Taranaki in Patea at the end of August is an exhibition experience titled The Big Bang.

The exhibition has been set up as an information response to a hypothetical eruption of Mt Taranaki.

It looks at the geological events leading up to the eruption, the event of the eruption itself, and what happens in the aftermath … and how civil defence preparation should be part of everyone's daily lives.

This exhibition will be an interactive learning experience based on what happens during a civil defence emergency.

Museum curator Cameron Curd said Mt Taranaki or Mt Egmont is a stratovolcano.

"It stands at 2518m in Egmont National Park and is the second highest mountain in the North Island. It is the dominant landmark towering over a district of fertile, pastoral land with a bounty of resources ranging from oil to iron-sand to groundwater."

Mt Taranaki is part of a volcanic chain that includes the Kaitake and Pouakai Ranges, Paritutu, and the Sugar Loaf islands.

"The last major eruption of Taranaki occurred around 1854, and it is estimated that the volcano has erupted more than 160 times in the last 36,000 years. There are no indications that Mt Taranaki is about to erupt, however, its unbroken geological history of activity tells us it will in the future."

Curd said Mt Taranaki is well monitored by the GeoNet project.

"Dormant volcanoes like Taranaki almost always demonstrate unrest before an eruption starts, with warning periods likely to range between days to months."

Part of the exhibition is a comprehensive list of how to prepare a survival kit.

Curd says there are many things you can do to minimise the impact on your health before disaster strikes.

The list says to put together an emergency food survival kit and to make sure you include the following items to last at least three days:

* canned and/or dried food – luncheon, meat, ham, fish, fruits, vegetables, cereals, tea, coffee, powdered soup, salt, sugar, sweets, biscuits, a can opener
* a primus/portable gas cooker or barbeque to cook with
* eating equipment – utensils, knives, pots, cups, plates, bowls, matches, lighters
*bottled water – 3 litres per person per day, or 6 to 8 large plastic soft-drink bottles of water per person per day
*bottled water – 1 litre for washing food and cooking each meal, washing dishes and washing yourself
*milk powder or UHT milk.

Renewing food and water every year was integral and people should take into account medical or dietary conditions in their family.

People who have babies or children need to make sure they have enough suitable food, the list says.

Curd said collating the exhibition had been exciting.

"I know people will be fascinated and very interested.''