ERUPTION ON RUAPEHU

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28901, 22 May 1959, Page 12

ERUPTION ON RUAPEHU

Ash Cloud Up To 500 ft (New Zealana Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 21. Mount Ruapehu shot a cloud of steam and ash 500 feet into the air at 10.30 a.m. today in the first volcanic activity by the mountain since November, 1956, when it briefly threw out rock and rubble. From Taupo, the cloud appeared “like a miniature atom bomb,” and it was also seen clearly from Waiouru. But, in spite of the perfect sky, it was not easily visible from the Chateau Tongariro. Three climbers from the New Zealand Alpine Club, which h..s a hut at 6630 feet, were on Paretetaitonga, the western high peak of Ruapehu, when the eruption occurred. They said it was a greyish white cloud and as ash fell it looked as if it were raining. They went down to the crater lake which, they said, must be fairly cold because there were pieces of ice floating in it A party of boys from Avontae College were on the knoll at about 7300 feet when the mountain “fired.” They heard no noise and there was no apparent earth tremor.

The chief ranger, Mr A. J. Peters, will climb the mountain tomorrow to inspect the crater if weather permits, and the Government vulcanologist at Rotorua, Mr J. Healy, will fly over the mountain tomorrow morning. The party of climbers camped at Paretataitonga, said the crater lake rose like a huge bubble about to burst Then the smoke and ash shot out with very little noise. The lake then settled back to normal

Ski-ing parties reported large quantities of ash on the slopes of the mountain.

Mr Healy said tonight that the last major eruption on Ruapehu was in 1945. In 1949. there were heavy ash showers. The lahar, which destroyed the Tangiwai bridge on December 23. 1953. causing the railway disaster, was the result of water from the crater lake bui sting a rock barrier formed by debris from the earlier eruption and cascading down in a tunnel under the ice into the Wangaehu river.

The manager of the Chateau Tongariro (Mr J. G. Mulder) said tonight the eruption had been more in the nature of a sudden explosion The smoke was passed off at the Chateau as an ordinary cloud until the heavy falls, of ash were reported.