Whakaari / White Island

Whakaari / White Island is an active volcanic island in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty. Its frequently active volcano erupted catastrophically in 2019.

Phreatic eruption: A volcanic explosion caused when groundwater or surface water is rapidly heated into steam. Water interacting with hot rock can drive explosions without fresh magma reaching the surface.
2019 Whakaari / White Island eruption: A phreatic eruption on Whakaari on 9 December 2019 that killed 22 people and injured many others. This sudden eruption exposed the severe risks of visiting an active crater.
Taupō Volcanic Zone: A volcanic region of New Zealand’s North Island, extending from Ruapehu to the Bay of Plenty. Whakaari lies at the northeastern end of this active volcanic region.
GeoNet: New Zealand’s geological hazard monitoring system, operated by GNS Science with partners. GeoNet publishes seismic, gas, and alert information used to monitor Whakaari.
Whakaari: The Māori name for the volcanic island commonly called White Island in English. The name Whakaari is widely used in New Zealand, often alongside White Island.
Hydrothermal system: A circulation of heated water and steam through rock, driven by a heat source beneath the surface. Hydrothermal fluids shape the crater and can build pressure beneath its surface.
Whakaari / White Island disaster response: The emergency response and recovery operations following the island’s 2019 eruption. Rescuers entered a hazardous volcanic zone to search for survivors and recover victims.
Kermadec–Tonga subduction zone: A convergent plate boundary where the Pacific Plate descends beneath the Australian Plate from New Zealand toward Tonga. Subduction supplies the tectonic setting for volcanism in the Bay of Plenty.
Volcanic Alert Level: A communication scale indicating a volcano’s current level of unrest and eruption activity. Alert levels communicate changes in Whakaari’s activity, but do not predict exact eruptions.
Ngāti Awa: A Māori iwi whose rohe includes parts of the Bay of Plenty and whose history is connected to Whakaari. The iwi has longstanding cultural and historical connections to the island.

Linked from 3 pages