Whakaari / White Island
Island volcano in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Whakaari / White Island ([faˈkaːɾi], Māori: Te Puia Whakaari, lit. "the dramatic volcano"[1]), also known as White Island or Whakaari, is an active andesite stratovolcano situated 48 km (30 mi) from the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, in the Bay of Plenty. The island covers an area of approximately 325 ha (800 acres),[2] which is just the peak of a much larger submarine volcano.
Whakaari / White Island | |
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Whakaari (Māori) | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 321 m (1,053 ft) |
Prominence | 321 m (1,053 ft) |
Coordinates | 37°31′12″S 177°10′57″E |
Geography | |
Location | Bay of Plenty, (off) North Island, New Zealand |
Geology | |
Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
Volcanic arc/belt | Taupō Volcanic Zone |
Last eruption | 9 December 2019 |
The island is New Zealand's most active cone volcano, and has been built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years.[3] The nearest mainland towns are Whakatāne and Tauranga. The island has been in a nearly continuous stage of releasing volcanic gas at least since it was sighted by James Cook in 1769. Whakaari erupted continually from December 1975 until September 2000, and also erupted in 2012, 2016, and 2019.
Sulphur was mined on the island until the 1930s. Ten miners were killed in 1914 when part of the crater wall collapsed.
A large eruption occurred at 14:11 on 9 December 2019, which resulted in 22 fatalities, including two people who were missing and ruled to be dead by a coroner.[4][5] Twenty-five survivors were injured, many critically and with severe burns. Forty-seven people were reportedly on the island when it erupted. A second eruption closely followed the first.[6]