New Zealand Volcano Eruption-White Island At least 5 Dead

UPDATE: Dozen feared dead, many missing in NZ volcano blast…
Dec 09, 2019 08:48 pm
UPDATE: Dozen feared dead, many missing in NZ volcano blast…
The Sun – British tourists are among 34 injured after a huge volcanic eruption in New Zealand as police say no more survivors will be found. Five people are confirmed dead following the devastating blast on White Island shortly after 2 pm today. Officials have revealed two British women are in being treated in hospital. Some of the victims have 90 percent burns and may not survive, a source told the New Zealand Herald.

Continue reading UPDATE: Dozen feared dead, many missing in NZ volcano blast… at End Time Headlines.
https://endtimeheadlines.org/2019/12/update-dozen-feared-dead-many-missing-in-nz-volcano-blast/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7773751/Two-British-women-hospital-New-Zealand-volcano-disaster.html?ico=pushly-notifcation-small
Two British women are in hospital and more could be missing after volcano erupted on New Zealand island killing at least five
White Island, located 30 miles off New Zealand's North Island, erupted at 2.11pm local time on Monday 
Five people have been confirmed dead with eight missing and 31 in hospital, some of them critically injured
The injured include two British women who are in hospital, UK high commissioner Laura Clarke revealed 
Police say there have been 'no signs of life' from the island, and no more survivors are expected to be found 
By TIM STICKINGS and CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE 
PUBLISHED: 20:47, 9 December 2019 | UPDATED: 20:51, 9 December 2019
Two British women are in hospital after the New Zealand volcano disaster, the UK's top envoy to the country has revealed. 

The two women were among 47 people on White Island, a volcanic island also known as Whakaari, when it erupted with a large plume of ash and steam at 2.11pm on Monday. 

Of the 47 people, 34 were rescued from the island and 31 of them remain in hospital, some of them critically wounded. Five are dead, leaving eight unaccounted for.  

UK high commissioner Laura Clarke did not give details of the two British women's injuries, but many people have suffered severe burns. 

Tourists from Australia, the US, China and Malaysia are also missing or wounded along with New Zealanders, prime minister Jacinda Ardern revealed. 

Footage taken from helicopters showed 'no signs of life', according to New Zealand police, who said they do not expect to find any more survivors. 

The disaster immediately raised questions about why tourists were allowed to visit the island, after the volcanic alert level had been raised just weeks earlier.  

Ms Ardern said it was a 'very unpredictable volcano' and said questions about tourism would be 'answered by the appropriate authorities', but said 'for now we're focused on those who are caught up in this horrific event'.     

Smoke and ash: An aerial view of White Island in New Zealand after an eruption on Monday which has killed at least five people and left two British women injured in hospital +31
Smoke and ash: An aerial view of White Island in New Zealand after an eruption on Monday which has killed at least five people and left two British women injured in hospital 

Eruption: Tourists on a boat watch smoke and ash rising from White Island, a volcanic island also known as Whakaari, after the natural disaster on Monday which has killed at least five people with eight others missing +31
Eruption: Tourists on a boat watch smoke and ash rising from White Island, a volcanic island also known as Whakaari, after the natural disaster on Monday which has killed at least five people with eight others missing 

Whakaari also known as White Island, 48km (29mi) located off New Zealand's North Island, erupted around 2.11pm local time on Monday blowing huge plumes of smoke and debris 12,000 ft into the sky +31
Dramatic footage shows plumes of smoke shooting up into the sky +31
Whakaari also known as White Island, 48km (29mi) located off New Zealand's North Island, erupted around 2.11pm local time on Monday blowing huge plumes of smoke and debris 12,000 ft into the sky 

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7770695/Volcano-erupts-coast-New-Zealand.html?ico=pushly-notifcation-small
'At least' five people are dead and dozens more severely injured or missing after a volcano erupts off New Zealand - as rescuers struggle to reach trapped tourists amid predictions of more blasts
White Island, located 48km off New Zealand's North Island, erupted at 2.11pm local time on Monday 
Five people are dead, with the death toll expected to rise as more than 20 people still unaccounted for 
A group tourists who visited the main crater half hour before the blast captured the eruption from their boat
 It is believed fewer than 50 people were on the island at the time of eruption and 18 have been evacuated
Were you on the island, or did you witness the eruption? Email: chris.pleasance@mailonline.com 
By KAREN RUIZ and BRITTANY CHAIN FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA 

PUBLISHED: 01:38, 9 December 2019 | UPDATED: 09:58, 9 December 2019
At least five people have been killed and dozens more are injured or still missing after a volcano erupted off the coast of New Zealand while tourists were climbing on it.

Whakaari also known as White Island, located 29 miles (48km) off New Zealand's North Island, erupted around 2.11pm local time on Monday, blowing huge plumes of smoke and debris 12,000ft (3,657m) into the sky.  

A group of tourists were pictured deep inside the crater just moments before the blast, while others on a boat close to the island were forced to run for safety as thick, black smoked billowed towards them.

It is thought around 50 people were on the island at the time of eruption, including New Zealanders and overseas tourists. Australia has confirmed some of its citizens were involved.

Eighteen survivors have been evacuated suffering injuries including severe burns and five people are dead, leaving an estimated 27 still unaccounted for. 

Authorities say rescuers have been unable to get on to the island to check for survivors due to dangerous conditions, with experts warning there is a risk of further eruptions.

John Tims, who is helping to coordinate the rescue efforts, said the death toll is expected to rise once a search of the island is carried out. 

Whakaari also known as White Island, 48km (29mi) located off New Zealand's North Island, erupted around 2.11pm local time on Monday blowing huge plumes of smoke and debris 12,000 ft into the sky +20
Dramatic footage shows plumes of smoke shooting up into the sky +20
Whakaari also known as White Island, 48km (29mi) located off New Zealand's North Island, erupted around 2.11pm local time on Monday blowing huge plumes of smoke and debris 12,000 ft into the sky 

At least five people died in the eruption, 18 have been rescued with injuries - including severe burns - while an estimated 27 are still missing, with rescuers unable to get on to the island +20

Tourist Michael Schade said he and his family were on the volcano just 20 minutes before it erupted and witnessed the blast as they were leaving the island +20

The White Island Tour operators are seen during the rescue operation about 12 to 14 minutes after the eruption +20
Rescue services are seen evacuating a group of tourists in a dinghy, as a destroyed helicopter sits in the background +20
One of the tour helicopters was left behind because of such low visibility after the eruption - which pushed ash and smoke into the air. Schade said the helicopters on the island 'looked destroyed'
'I can confirm there are five people now deceased from the eruption on White Island,' Mr Tims told reporters on Monday evening. 

'A number of other people have been taken to a hospital. A number of people have burns as a result of the eruption. It is still too early for police to confirm how many people are involved.'  

Authorities are yet to confirm the nationalities of the victims or assess whether there are still survivors on the island as they have been unable to establish communication with anyone there.  

A no-fly zone over the area is now in effect. 

'There are possibilities of further eruptions. The physical environment is unsafe for us to return to the island. It is important that we consider the health and safety of those that are going to rescue those on the island. So we will be taking that advice,' Mr Tims said.

The majority of tourists involved are believed to have come from the Ovation of the Seas cruiseship which departed Sydney last Wednesday with 4,579 passengers and 1,595 crew for 12-day trip.  

According to 9News, 24 Australians are believed to have been on the island at the time.    

Sightseeing helicopters and one boat remain unaccounted for as a major rescue operation gets underway.  

'We know that there were a number of tourists on or around the island today, both from New Zealand and overseas,' New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.  

'I know there will be a huge amount of anxiety for those who have loved ones on or around the island at the time. I can assure them police are doing everything they can,' Ardern said.

Ardern and Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare will travel to the nearby Whakatane on Monday night.

Royal Caribbean, owner of Ovation of the Seas, issued a statement saying the ship would stay in the nearby port of Tauranga overnight 'until we learn more about the situation'.

White Island is New Zealand's most active volcano and had seen its last major eruption in 2001, with smaller events over the years until now. 

Officials said it's unlikely the volcano will erupt again in the next 24 hours but have warned people to stay away from the area.  
A tour group was pictured inside the crater at 2.10pm, just one minute before the eruption took place, amid fears they have not made it off the island alive 
Handout images from a webcam belonging to the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences shows the volcano on New Zealand's White Island spewing steam and ash

An aerial view of the volcano shows thick smoke billowing from the crater +20
An aerial view of the volcano shows thick smoke billowing from the crater 

'It was not a particularly big eruption, it was almost like a throat clearing eruption and that's why material probably won't make it to mainland New Zealand,' Dr Ken Gledhill said.

'We can't be certain it won't erupt again in the next 24 hours,' he said.  

The island is frequently visited by tourists as part of organised boat tours from nearby Whakatane.

Geological hazard trackers GeoNet had registered moderate volcanic unrest on the island for weeks.

But the nature of volcano activity is unpredictable, with the eruption unforeseen by authorities.

A camera of the crater's rim, run by monitoring agency GeoNet, set to take pictures every 10 minutes showed a string of people visiting the crater at 2.10pm.
The next shot taken, at 2.20pm, was unreadable as the blast had rendered the camera inoperable.
St John has dispatched seven helicopters to the island, but they are unable to land.
'We are taking expert advice with regard to conditions to determine when we can safely access the island,' a police statement read.

'We can confirm there has been one fatality, and based on the information we have it is likely there are others.'

Police did not advise of any further information of the deceased person.  

'Of those transported to shore, at least one has been critically injured,' a spokesman said. 

'Emergency services are working to ensure the safety of everyone involved, including rescue staff.'

Most people who have been rescued from the island suffered various stages of burns. 

Emergency services attend to an injured person arriving at the Whakatane Airfield after the volcanic eruption +20
Emergency services attend to an injured person arriving at the Whakatane Airfield after the volcanic eruption

A person wrapped in a blanket is comforted by emergency services personnel following an eruption of the White Island volcano +20
A person wrapped in a blanket is comforted by emergency services personnel following an eruption of the White Island volcano

Emergency services attend to an injured person arriving at the Whakatane Airfield after the volcanic eruption +20

A rescue operation is currently underway to save people who were pictured inside the crater at 2.10pm, just moments before the explosion, on the White Island Crater Rim camera. 

Other shots from the camera, displayed online every 10 minutes, showed the blast before the camera went black. 
A second, slightly smaller eruption went off at 3.45pm, according to local fishermen. 

Tourist Michael Schade said he and his family were on the volcano just 20 minutes before it erupted and witnessed the blast as they were leaving the island. 

'This is so hard to believe. Our whole tour group were literally standing at the edge of the main crater not 30 minutes before. My thoughts with the families of those currently unaccounted for, the people recovering now, and especially the rescue workers,' he said on Twitter. 

'My family and I had gotten off it 20 minutes before, were waiting at our boat about to leave when we saw it. Boat ride home tending to people our boat rescued was indescribable.

'Praying for them and their recovery. Woman my mom tended to was in critical condition but seemed strong by the end. The helicopters on the island looked destroyed. 
Allessandro Kauffmann, a Brazilian tourist who was in the first tour group for the morning said his group left the island 'just in time'.
'Some people have extensive burns on their bodies. Two tours on the volcano. Ours was the first. The other one right after. We left the island and wasn't even five minutes before it erupted. This other tour that arrived after couldn't leave in time,' he said in an Instagram post.
Coastguard rescue boats are pictured alongside the marina near Whakatane, where the injured were brought following the volcanic eruption

'Some people have serious burns. We had to stay to help those people who were on the island. The boat from this other tour was covered in ash from the volcano. Very tense talking about this. We just have to hope that all is as well as can be.'

Tourists from cruise liner Ovation of the Seas were visiting the island on Monday morning, according to the company's chief executive Mark Cairns.

He said the majority of those injured in the eruption are from the ship.

Judy Turner, the Mayor of Whakatane also confirmed tourists on the island had been injured in the blast.

A spokeswoman for Tourism Bay of Plenty said Volcanic Helicopters and one boat have still not been accounted for. 

A White Island Tours boat carrying visitors was also close to the island, which is 48kms from the Bay of Plenty. 

Calvin Kingi, who works for the tour company, posted on Facebook saying his group got out just in time.

'White Island just erupted as we left, we have our work mates and a tour still on the island, I hope they okay,' he wrote. 

An emergency operation centre has reportedly been established at Whakatane Hospital. 

A Westpac Rescue helicopter has reportedly been tasked with transporting blood from Auckland hospital to Whakatane.

Family members of people who were on the island at the time are slowly arriving on the wharf and waiting for any updates, according to local media. 

Seven rescue helicopters have been trying to get to the island while others situated nearby are on standby.

Thick, black plumes of smoke are still filling the sky around the island.
SEE MORE
Warnings ignored: How persistent tourists travelled to the active volcano against expert advice 
By Charlie Moore for Daily Mail Australia

Tourists have been travelling to White Island for years despite warnings from scientists that it could erupt at any time.

Between 2011 and 2016 the volcano to the north of New Zealand's north island - which erupted on Monday - had a period of increased activity but still boatloads of tourists arrived.

Volcanologists at the time refused to step foot on the island because it was too dangerous and warned tourists not to go - but still the boats kept landing.

An aerial view of the volcano, which is currently the most active in New Zealand and erupted in 2016 and 2012 before today +20
An aerial view of the volcano, which is currently the most active in New Zealand and erupted in 2016 and 2012 before today

In recent weeks the volcano has been going through another period of activity but tourism was not stopped.

Last month monitoring outfit GNS Science raised the alert level for the volcano to level two because of increase activity.

'Volcanic unrest continues at Whakaari/White Island and some monitored parameters show further increases in activity,' the agency said.

'Hazards on the island are now greater than during the past few weeks.

'The patterns of signals are similar to those through the 2011 - 2016 period and suggest that Whakaari/White Island may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal.'

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Watch videoVolcanologists advised tourists not to travel to White Island
The Volcanic Alert Level was raised to four at the time of the explosion - the second highest warning level and considered to be a 'moderate eruption - but is now at three. 

Prime Minster Scott Morrison confirms Australians have been caught up in New Zealand volcano horror
A terrible tragedy is unfolding in New Zealand after the volcano eruption on Whakaari/White Island.

Australians have been caught up in this terrible event and we are working to determine their wellbeing.

I have been in touch with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to offer our full support with whatever they need and our authorities are working closely together. 

I will be staying in direct contact as events continue to unfold. 

We will provide updates once they are confirmed and are available.

There is a 'possibility of a very large eruption' under the level four coding, as well as a further chance of a flank eruption, which is when simultaneous explosions occur around the volcano rather than from the summit alone.

Whakaari is New Zealand's only active marine volcano, and is also the nation's most active, with regular eruptions since 2012.

The most recent eruption prior to today was minor, and occurred in 2016.

At least 70 per cent of the volcano is under sea level, and a single crater makes up most of the island, which is frequently visited by tourists. 

Geological hazard trackers GeoNet had registered moderate volcanic unrest on the island for weeks, before the eruption began at 12:10pm AEDT. 

GNS Science said they are still monitoring conditions on the island and there had been a 'steady decline in activity, [though] there remains significant uncertainty.' 

'Currently there are no signs of further eruptions, but we will continue to closely monitor Whakaari/White Island for further signs of activity.'

The local council says New Zealand Police and Bay of Plenty Civil Defence are working together to respond. 

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Watch videoVolcanologists advised tourists not to travel to White Island
Pictured: An abandoned sulphur factory on the island, which is known for its frequent explosions +20
Pictured: An abandoned sulphur factory on the island which tourists often explore +20
Pictured: An abandoned sulphur factory on the island, which is known for its frequent explosions