CHANGES NOTED IN VOLCANO

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27488, 23 October 1954, Page 6

CHANGES NOTED IN VOLCANO

Ngauruhoe Destroys Spatter Cone

STEAM BEING EJECTED BY ONE VENT

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 22. In a violent upheaval within the last two weeks, Mount Ngauruhoe has blown out the core of its recentlyformed spatter cone, and left a great depression in the summit. The volcano has thus fulfilled a prediction of Mr J. Healy, Government Vulcanologist at Rotorua. Mr G. B. Scott, of Auckland, who climbed the mountain on Wednesday with two members of the Chateau Tongariro staff, Messrs B. Ferguson and E. Whiting, believes the eruption responsible for the gigantic coring took place about 2 a.m. on October 15, when guests at the Chateau were awakened by a devastating detonation. The only route to the floor of the crater, according to Mr Scott, is down a rubble face at the southern end of the summit. There is only one vent, and on Wednesday a great volume of steam was being discharged and rocks were being thrown up intermittently. “The noise was terrific.” Mr Scott said. “In fact, it must have been about 10 times the intensity of the Wairakei bores. We were unable to speak, and could only communicate by signs.’ Mr Healy climbed Mount Ruapehu today, and found the crater lake to be well below boiling point. In one part, he found the water temperature to be only 39 degrees Centigrade. Towards the centre of the lake, about the position of the vent during the 1945 eruption. bubbles were rising to the surface, but he‘thought they were caused by escaping gas. He saw no signs of gevser activity. The level of the lake was about a foot lower than it was in February, said Mr Healy.