Steam and gas plumes persist over New Zealand's White Island volcano for six days
Steam and gas emissions have been observed rising from Whakaari/White Island for six consecutive days, while the volcano stays at alert level 2.
For the past six days, Whakaari/White Island has been emitting visible steam and gas plumes, according to GeoNet observations and satellite imagery that confirm intermittent discharge with minor ash content. Michael Rosenberg, an Earth Sciences volcanologist, cautioned that the unrest could suddenly become more explosive, threatening the main crater floor and nearby areas. Despite the ongoing activity, authorities have kept the volcano at Volcanic Alert Level 2, denoting moderate to heightened unrest, and maintained an Aviation Colour Code of Yellow.
In late March, a small eruption produced an ash plume that rose about 1,300 metres, prompting temporary flight cancellations at Tauranga Airport. Rosenberg noted that such steam and ash emissions are typical of the island's recent decades of activity. The island’s 2019 eruption, which killed 22 people and injured 25, remains the most severe recent event.
