White Island.

[tgsnoopy]

I see GNS Science, along with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), today acknowledged they were among the 10 organisations and 3 individuals that Worksafe NZ today has laid criminal charges against over the Whakaari/White Island eruption.

I wonder if this could set a precedent, e.g. could weather forecasters be held liable for failing to predict the extent of the recent flooding in Napier, and to a lesser extent the flooding in Plimmerton?

Ridiculous. GNS had raised the alert level prior to the tragedy, hard to see how they could be blamed. NEMA, really? Bureaucracy gone mad! Maybe the islands owners for allowing landings during Level 2, more probably the tour operators for continuing, but the customers were warned of the risk & signed disclaimers. The wrap em in cotton wool and lets not worry about common sense brigade is insane these days. Soon it will be impossible to have any fun (especially on Sundays if our PM continues following the UN line, be afraid about them declaring this climate emergency).

[tornado]

One year ago from today the volcano erupted sadly deceasing 22 people and injuring others. Heaps of stories in the media about the memories of the tragic disaster

[tgsnoopy]

It was an early morning start for many of the Whakatane DHB staff, they were up at Kohi Point Lookout early for a service. The Island wasn't visible at all, a mist obstructed the view. Worked at Whakatane Hospital all day, everyone seemed to be coping well & I listened (spectator style) to many interesting stories. Traffic was terrible, Pekatahi Bridge was closed (diverting SH 2 traffic through the town) & many people had come in to town for the significant day.

It was apparent that Worksafes actions are not because any rescue efforts but due to lack of appropriate planning, training etc. I recall cringing seeing the video where the tour guide said something like "I don't like the look of that, never seen that before" when looking at the trickle of water that had gone green (It's a sign of Magma close to the surface if I recall correctly, a get out of here it's unsafe moment).

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/118098 ... ctivities?

[Awhituobs]

yes exactly...they should have made the call to come back another day when they had seen changes like that at level 2 ..i.e safety first ...tough to do when people are so excited and come so far... hindsight is a wonderfull thing

[tgsnoopy]

Published: Wed Dec 30 2020 5:15 PM

https://www.geonet.org.nz/vabs/1uWUWf946edM9WzF0zmM4D

A series of short-lived, low energy steam explosions occurred on 29 December 2020 at Whakaari / White Island over a period of ~ 30 mins. This small event consisted of at least 20 individual pulses and may have produced traces of ash locally in the steam plume for a few minutes. Since the event, activity has returned to low-level. The Volcanic Alert Level remains at 1.

More detail in the alert bulletin linked to.

[Razor]

I see Geonet believes White island may have erupted over the weekend just been. Or maybe it didn't?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/1 ... ne-is-sure

[BeaconHill]

I see there was a small ash eruption at dawn this morning.
Great photo from Whakatane via Geonet webcam.

Burp.jpg

[harleyb]

White Island still cranking this morning. What a shame there are no sensors or cameras working out there now.

Geoff Mackley has just put out this drone footage, check out the energy in the plume coming out of the vent...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CrwN9Kf62 ... UgaXNsYW5k

[David]

Amazing video!

[Razor]

Indeed, I see Geonet's Monday bulletin update suggested elevated sulphur dioxide and possibly a magma intrusion into shallow levels. Definitely warrants the level 3 alert

[Razor]

Whakaari/White Island erupted again this morning. Wellington VAAC issued an ash advisory at 3:51am .

The plume is reported at an altitude of 5,000 feet, drifting northward.

[tgsnoopy]

Still pumping out ash, just driven back from Whakatane & was looking at it. Steam dissipates, leaving unmistakable ash cloud.

[harleyb]

Sentinel-2 satellite image.

"A new satellite imagery acquisition of the volcano's activity from 12 August indicates a new thermal anomaly in the crater.
A visible glow and near-constant emissions of gas and small amounts of ash suggest the continued rise of fresh magma beneath the volcano's shallow system."

(from https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/white- ... magma.html)

whiteisland_vd_03.jpg

I'm not clear if the image is showing an overlay of a thermal image (highlighting the vent) or if it is in fact a glow in the visible as the text suggests. I suspect it's actually a thermal image overlay.

[Razor]

I see on Stuff.co.nz that eruptive activity this morning has closed some airports in the Bay of Plenty and left a thin layer of ash on some beaches, notably Papamoa

[Nev]

I see on Stuff.co.nz that eruptive activity this morning has closed some airports in the Bay of Plenty and left a thin layer of ash on some beaches, notably Papamoa

I think that pic(s) reportedly showing ash on Papamoa Beach this morning was probably bogus, as it's since been pulled from media stories. Even if it was ash, which seems unlikely given how far away it was, it looks to have been washed up rather than fallen on the beach?

MetService VAAC did issue an Ash Advisory for eastern BoP this morning though...

MetService VAAC White Island Ash Advisory graphic - 22 Aug 7.24am.png

White Island - webcam from Te Kaha - 22 Aug 7.30am.jpg

[Razor]

Yes the Papamoa beach story was incorrect

[harleyb]

Activity seems to be increasing further at White Island. The Te Kaha camera shows quite a glow coming from the vent at night as well which suggests there is magma exposed at the surface. If it stays this active there might be a dusting of ash on the mainland once the wind turns onshore.

TKAH.0120240904203000NZST.jpg

image.png

[Razor]

Certainly a decent eruption plume today

[Razor]

Activity seems to be increasing further at White Island. The Te Kaha camera shows quite a glow coming from the vent at night as well which suggests there is magma exposed at the surface. If it stays this active there might be a dusting of ash on the mainland once the wind turns onshore.

TKAH.0120240904203000NZST.jpg

image.png

I have a suspicion having looked at the webcams on subsequent nights that the glow is actually from fishing boat lights rather than at the vent

[harleyb]

Activity seems to be increasing further at White Island. The Te Kaha camera shows quite a glow coming from the vent at night as well which suggests there is magma exposed at the surface. If it stays this active there might be a dusting of ash on the mainland once the wind turns onshore.

TKAH.0120240904203000NZST.jpg

image.png

I have a suspicion having looked at the webcams on subsequent nights that the glow is actually from fishing boat lights rather than at the vent

Don't think so. Lit up boats do appear from time to time but they tend to move from one image to the next. I'm pretty sure the glow I'm seeing in the Te Kaha cam is from the vent, unless a fishing boat is anchoring up for most of the night in the same spot directly in line with the crater. The glow appeared again intermittently last night from the 10:10 pm image onwards, same spot as before.

[Nev]

Yes, agree that the night-glow is definitely emanating from the crater's main vent, although not that unusual. Note that the night-vision camera lens is also capable of picking up heat (infrared), so the 'glow' is more likely to be heat from the vent's hot gases and steam.

Did notice a decent burst of dark ash on yesterday morning's 7:50am and 8:00am visible images though:

GNS - White Island - Te Kaha webcam - 2024 Sep 05, 7.50a.jpg

GNS - White Island - Te Kaha webcam - 2024 Sep 05, 8.00am.jpg