Volcanic eruption in New Zealand!
By Denise
@petatonicsca (7070)
Japan
December 9, 2019 1:18am CST
White Island, or Whakaari, is a volcanic island just off the coast of the north island of New Zealand. It has been displaying signs of unrest for the past couple of weeks at least: heightened output of SO2 and other volcanic gasses, and volcanic earthquakes. The Geonet New Zealand had put out an advisory that it could erupt. However, some folks from a cruise ship had been in the caldera area and were just heading back to the ship when the eruption happened. People are missing and injured and possibly there are fatalities. This is a bad situation.
What do you think of a tour company not paying attention to advisories on a known active volcano, and should they be held responsible for any injuries and deaths which occurred? I think this question will be going around news media soon.
4 people like this
6 responses
@LadyDuck (502610)
• Italy
10 Dec 19
@petatonicsca I fully agree, but they do in every part of the world. In Italy they bring people on the Etna and Vesuvio and in all Caribbean Islands they bring people on top of volcanoes. I only went on top of Vesuvio when I was young, I will never do this again.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Dec 19
Well, they should not be going into the caldera anyway.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
9 Dec 19
This is so shocking. I read about this somewhere else.as.well
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Dec 19
Yes. I hope it makes tour companies think and listen to the geoscientists rather than thinking they have to continue their tour.
Tour companies have been really good about using their boats and helicopters in disasters (for example Hawaii 2018 the entire group of tour companies used their vehicles to help evacuate residents, and this one tried but it happened too fast). So I don't want to criticize them too hard.
But the eruption was not a "surprise". Geonet NZ had put out warnings up to two months ago that unrest was increasing.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
10 Dec 19
@petatonicsca yes...but sadly no one cares when it comes to making money
@msdivkar (23356)
• India
10 Dec 19
Very sad news of volcanic eruption in North Island of New Zealand and missing of members of tour party. It is very irresponsible on the part of tour company
to go ahead with the tour despite advisory from Govt. Organization not to venture into the area due to possible eruption of the volcano. The tour company should be held responsible for any damage to human life thst may materialise.
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
9 Dec 19
Oh no, tourists got involved in the eruption? I agree, it is really a bad situation especially for the tour agency.
@JudyEv (382273)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Dec 19
It does seem a very casual attitude to the safety of the passengers. I'm surprised the area wasn't put out of bounds but maybe that's not easy to do.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Dec 19
It was at level 3, which in Japan means you can't go within one km of the crater. So the disaster would have been averted.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
9 Dec 19
I have read from a newsbreak awhile that the fatalities are now 5 and there’s still more missing.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Dec 19
They're pretty much saying none of the missing have survived. It makes me cry. They can't even go in to look right now because it's too unstable.
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
10 Dec 19
Yes I’ve just read an update now and a helicopter pilot hovering over the island today located 6 bodies of the 8 still missing covered in ash and gave the sad news that there is no more sign of life in the island.
