NGAURUHOE ERUPTS

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33773, 20 February 1975, Page 1

NGAURUHOE ERUPTS

WELLINGTON. February 19. .Mount Ngauruhoe erupted today, blasting ash and rocks thousands of feet into the air. The eruption, which began at 2 p.m. after several days of minor activity, was described tonight as the biggest for many years. A huge cloud of ash poured out of the mountain and rose to 47,000 ft. according to a team of surveyors who took measurements from Taupo. Boulders were thrown up to a mile from the crater, and ash was reported to be failing as far away as Turangi, 14 miles from the crater.

The Tongariro National Pa;> chief ranger (Mr K. A. Maw'hinney) said tonight that some of the boulders weighed two tons.

“It’s the biggest eruption we’ve had for many years,” he said. Mr Mawhinney said that at one stage during the afternoon explosions occurred every 15 minute*, but tonight the mountain was erupting only about once every hour. There has been no sign of a lava flow. Walking tracks around the base of the 7515 ft peak have been closed because of the danger posed by the eruption. Mr Mawhinney said there had been some concern today for a party of 40 Auckland schoolchildren tramping in the area, but they had walked out safely. Several other trampers known to be on the mountain had been accounted for.

A warning to stay clear of Ngauruhoe has been issued. The danger area is considered to be a circle three miles in radius frem the mountain.