New Zealand volcano: At least five dead after White Island eruption

[Eugene]

Last edited Mon Dec 9, 2019, 10:18 AM - Edit history (2)

Source: BBC

an hour ago

A volcano has erupted in New Zealand, leaving five people dead and several unaccounted for, police have said.

Tourists were seen walking inside the crater of White Island volcano moments before Monday's eruption.

Twenty-three people have been rescued, but it is unclear how many people remained on the island. Police say aerial reconnaissance flights have not identified any sign of life there.

White Island, also called Whakaari, is the country's most active volcano.

-snip-


Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50708727

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EDIT: article updated at link

Earlier BBC headlines:
• White Island volcano: People 'unaccounted for' after New Zealand eruption
• New Zealand volcano: At least one dead with number expected to rise

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Updated BBC report: New Zealand volcano: 'No sign of life' after White Island eruption

______________________________________________________________________

Related: New Zealand volcano: no survivors on White Island, police believe – as it happened (The Guardian)

Previous Guardian headlines:
• New Zealand volcano: tourists injured and missing after eruption on White Island - live
• New Zealand volcano: one dead and 'likely to be more' after eruption on White Island - live

[cstanleytech]

1. I have considered visiting New Zealand if I ever would have the money to do any traveling but I

marked that island off the list of places long ago to ever visit precisely because it has a volatile history and I simply do not believe the risk are worth it.

[SharonClark]

13. White Island is 30 miles off the coast of the North Island and

not much of a risk to the average tourist.

[cstanleytech]

15. I am aware of both its location as well as its prior history of eruptions that is why I personally

believe its simply not worth the risk especially when there are far more places there that I could visit should I ever be fortunate enough to be able to do so.

[marble falls]

3. I've always wondered how quickly or without any obvios signs a volcano could go up ...

now I know.

The volcano walk is now off the bucket list.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

4. From New Zealand, with video...

Scientist: White Island eruption was 'basically instantaneous'
9 Dec, 2019 6:04pm

See: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12292325

(snips)

A volcanologist has described the quick-fire type of eruption at White Island today as "basically instantaneous". "One minute nothing's happening, next minute, it's all happening," GNS Science's Brad Scott said.

At about 2.11pm, the eruption fired a plume of ash 3.6km above the vent of the offshore Bay of Plenty volcano. The island's crater floor was littered with ash, which continued to fall on the island - but only a minor amount of the material was expected to reach the East Cape over the next few hours.

Monitoring showed there had been no signs of further eruption.

KY.........

[chowder66]

5. This is horrifying. Those poor people and their family and friends...nt

[Hekate]

6. I'm really sorry for their survivors, but am always left with the question...

What part of "active volcano" do tourists not understand?

[Baclava]

7. Really bad timing is all, and they say it will never happen to you...scary videos

Yeah, I'll pass on walking on active volcanoes too

[Rainbow Droid]

8. Most understand the concept perfectly well but few believe it'll ever happen to them.

It's the same with other inherently dangerous activities like free climbing, base jumping, skydiving, skateboarding, hell even surfing and snorkeling can be highly dangerous in numerous locations around the world.

But almost nobody considers that they might be a statistic, and the human brain tends to automatically minimize the perception of risks in a direct correlation to the level of desire the person has for engaging in said activity: If you really want to do something, and the perceived risk would otherwise stop you, you will not accurately perceive the risk. I know there are exceptions, but this is essentially how the human brain works, and such thinking is the rule rather than the exception.

Confirmation bias can be a very dangerous thing.

[MissB]

14. The term can be somewhat misleading

“Active volcano” generally means that it’s erupted in the past 10,000 years.

By that definition, Mt. Hood in Oregon is an active volcano. This time of year, there are tons of skiers all over the mountain. Not one of them worries about it erupting.

That being said, sounds like the tour operator shouldn’t have been taking folks out to this island.

[Baclava]

17. This one has been erupting pretty much non-stop for the last few hundred years

note helicopter covered in ash

[meadowlander]

9. Five confirmed dead now, 25ish still missing.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12292326

The threat level for the island was increased in the last few weeks but tour operators continued go out there.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/118062136/why-were-people-on-white-island-volcano-when-it-erupted

[hlthe2b]

10. I can understand so-called adrenaline junkies who push the envelope but whose fate is in their hands

but this is something very different--much like Russian Roulette--that I have NEVER understood. They have no control over the outcome. It isn't a feat of skill over risk, but merely fate.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Thought no survivors on island now - working to check who is missing

'No signs of life' seen on White Island

New Zealand police said early on Tuesday morning local time that they did not believe there were any survivors on White Island following Monday’s eruption.

Just after midnight, officers said in a statement that after reconnaissance flights over the island, “no signs of life had been seen at any point”.

“Police believe that anyone who could have been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of the evacuation,” a statement said.
...
Officers are “urgently” working to confirm the exact number of those who have died, in addition to the five already known to be dead. They had earlier said as many as 27 people had been stranded on the island after the eruption.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/dec/09/new-zealand-volcano-tourists-injured-and-missing-after-eruption-on-white-island-live?page=with:block-5dee2e7f8f08e7796de8f552#block-5dee2e7f8f08e7796de8f552

[pansypoo53219]

12. how many selfies can we count?

[keithbvadu2]

16. Completely safe, no problems for the last three years. However, comma.

Completely safe, no problems for the last three years.

However, comma.

Karma, fate, bad jos that you were walking the trail at just that moment.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Five people dead and eight missing after New Zealand volcanic eruption

Five people have died and eight are still missing following an eruption on a volcanic island in New Zealand, the country’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has said.

She said that New Zealanders and tourists from Australia, the US, Britain, China and Malaysia were among the missing and injured. New Zealand police do not expect to find any more survivors on White Island, where two explosions in quick succession sent up a huge plume of ash that could be seen from the North Island.

Some 31 people remain in hospital after three people were discharged overnight. In total, 47 people visited the island on Monday.

Ardern praised the efforts of first responders, including a number of helicopters that rescued people from the island. “All of us would want to acknowledge the efforts they went to to ensure that everyone who could be evacuated was,” said Ardern.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/09/new-zealand-eruption-dead-missing-white-island