RUAPEHU’S ACTIVITY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 226, 23 August 1945, Page 4

RUAPEHU’S ACTIVITY

VOLCANIC DUST FALLS.

COATING IN WANGANUI

(Press Assn.) WANGANUI, Aug. 22. Wanganui at nightfall today was covered by a thin layer of silica and the streets, footpaths, and buildings looked as if there had been a light lall of feathery snow. It was dust_ from Ruapehu, which is maintaining its recently enlivened volcanic activity. There were two explosions in the crater today, according to residents of Ohakune. The first, which was the most severe, was at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a column of black smoke rising to a height estimated at 10,000 feet. This outburst was followed by another less powerful at 4.10 p.m. The first explosion could be heard over the whole of Ohakune. All clay long the mountain has been emitting columns of black smoke, steam and ash. The wind was from a northeasterly direction and it appeared as though the smoke from the crater, alter being forced up to a great height, tended downwards towards _ the earth as though atmospheric conditions were too heavy to allow it to rise. Very dull conditions came over Wanganui shortly before midday, when the first signs of the volcanic dust were noticed. Conditions brightened for a time, but by mid-afternoon dust began falling like fine rain and the whole of the area between the coast and the mountain became coated in white. The distance by air from Wanganui to the mountain is approximately 50 miles. WEIRD CONDITIONS.

Residents of Ohakune say that conditions there looked weird as seen through the thick, foglike dust. In Wanganui the <war memorial tower on Durie Hill and the water-tower on Bastia Hiil could not be seen from Gonville through the thick volcanic haze. Motor-cars using the streets raised dust to almost the same extent as though travelling on an unsealed highway. The dust is very fine, but is of very hard particles wnich, if rubbed on to the mudguard of a car, is capable of removing the paint in the same way as emery paper would. This type of dust has fallen over a wide area ever since Ruapehu began erupting, and many vegetable crops in the Ohakune and Raetihi districts are suffering, and it is probable that when shearing starts in the Taihape and adjacent districts much of the gritlike volcanic material will be found in the wool. If it does not affect the quality of the wool it will certainly not be popular with shearers because of its effect on combs and cutters in the shearing sheds. Although the dark and gloomy conditions prevailing today in areas between Wanganui and the mountain have caused some people,, particularly women, to became a little more apprehensive than usual, there is no foundation for any story of evacuation. Naturally people have explored means of quickly leaving the district should the need arise, but that has only been precautionary. At present it is true to say that those nearest the mountain sliow least concern at its rumbling and flashing moods. The explosions at night are very spectacular, one burst on Tuesday night being particularly vivid. It was described by residents of Ohakune as a continual display of fireworks. Ruapehu was again clearly visible from Palmerston North this morning, the dense column of smoke from the erupting mountain ascending to a considerable height before spreading away in the direction of Wanganui.