The GNS-led Beneath the Waves programme is running a competition where one lucky winner will take home a copy of 5 Minute Volcano! – a co-operative, fast-paced tabletop game based on the popular 5 Minute Dungeon game by Wiggles 3D. To enter, all people need to do is be a follower of the GNS Science Facebook page and add a comment in the thread naming their favourite New Zealand volcano.
Larger steam and gas plumes visible at Whakaari. Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2 and Aviation Colour Code at Yellow.
Whakaari / White Island is currently emitting larger steam and gas plumes, but no ash has been detected. The Volcanic Alert Level remains at 2 and the Aviation Colour Code at Yellow.
Have you ever wondered why we collect felt reports following an earthquake? Well wonder no more!
Lying approximately 1100 km northeast of Auckland, in the Kermadec Islands, is Raoul Island, the summit of a large active volcano. It is an important geohazard monitoring station for New Zealand and other Pacific nations, well positioned to detect and measure local Kermadec earthquakes and provide us essential insight into the size and arrival-time of tsunami waves.
On December 26, 2004, an M9.2 earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a devastating tsunami that tragically claimed the lives of around 230,000 people and affected 14 countries. This event marked the first major global disaster of the 21st century and remains one of the deadliest in recent history.
Early in the evening of 15 January 2022, Tonga’s Hunga volcano erupted with the largest and most energetic explosion recorded in modern times. The eruption, which occurred at the same time as Cyclone Cody, caused a far-reaching tsunami that impacted our coastlines and booming sounds that were heard across the globe.
Minor volcanic unrest continues at Mt Ruapehu as lake temperature slowly increases. Volcanic Alert Level remains at 1.
Over recent months Te Wai ā-moe (Ruapehu Crater Lake) has remained cool but recent data suggest a weak heating trend is underway. The lake temperature is now around 10°C to 11°C, slightly up from the low of 8°C. Our gas monitoring sensors continue to measure low–moderate volcanic sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions, and volcanic tremor is still weak. An eruption remains unlikely. The Volcanic Alert Level remains at 1 and the Aviation Colour Code at Green.
Welcome, haere mai to another GeoNet Data Blog. Today’s blog looks at how water from Silica Rapids on Mt Ruapehu is analysed at NZGAL, the New Zealand Geothermal Analytical Laboratory, at GNS Science.
End of eruption at Whakaari/White Island, steam and gas emissions remain variable. Volcanic Alert Level lowered to Level 2 and Aviation Colour Code changed to Yellow.
Based on observations from a monitoring flight on 18 October 2024, recent images from GeoNet’s cameras, and satellite imagery, we can confirm that the recent minor eruptive activity Whakaari/White Island has now stopped, with no further ash emission from the volcano.
This week ShakeOut, our national earthquake drill and tsunami hikoi, takes place on Thursday 24 October. It is a chance for New Zealanders to practice their best drop, cover, hold and refamiliarise themselves with their tsunami evacuation routes.