Fresh Lava In Ruapehu Lake

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 1

Fresh Lava In Ruapehu Lake

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON, August 15.

Fresh lava has been found by scientists of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in the crater lake of Mount Ruapehu. -

This makes the present steam eruptions “that much different” from those of 1959, and suggests that further activity is possible, said Mr J Healey, Government vulcanologist, of Rotorua. Predictions about future activity are almost impossible to make with any certainty, he said—“the most we can make is an inspired guess.” In 1945 the rise of lava in the crater lake took place

comparatively quietly until the lake itself completely disappeared, he said. The major explosions occurred when fresh lava burst through the early lava formation. Little was known of the mountain’s activity before the 1945 eruption, Mr Healey said, and seismograph records taken since the initial steam eruption in July had been confusing. However. some clarity might be achieved now that an eruption had been witnessed by two D.S.I.R. scientists: their description of events could be matched with the seismograph recordings made at the same time, and this might mean that a better picture of the underground activity could be formed when these records were matched with seismic records of this year's earlier activities.