NZ Defence Force assets with specialized equipment went to White Island volcano late December 12 (UTC) and recovered the bodies of 6 of the 8 people killed on the island during a short-lived eruption on Monday, December 9, 2019. 47 people were on the island at the…
The volcanic tremor has significantly increased at Whakaari/White Island on the morning of December 11, 2019 (LT), indicating that volcanic gas pressures remain high. The Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 3 and the Aviation Color Code Orange. The death toll has…
Inquiries with tour operators indicate that 47 people were on the island at the time of the eruption. 31 patients are currently being treated at 7 hospitals and three have been treated and discharged. Some of the patients are reportedly in critical condition. 5…
More than 857 000 lightning strikes have been recorded over New Zealand in 72 hours starting midnight local time Friday, December 6, 2019. Severe storms, landslides, slips, and flooding in the South Island cut off towns and trapped roughly 1 000 foreign tourists….
An impulsive, short-lived eruption occurred at New Zealand's White Island volcano at 01:11 UTC (14:11 LT) on December 9, 2019. The Volcanic Alert Level was raised to 3 and Aviation Color Code to Orange. The eruption affected the crater floor where up to 50…
MetService recorded nearly 100 000 lightning strikes in 24 hours over South Island, New Zealand, leading up to Saturday morning, December 7, 2019. Some of the strikes were associated with severe storms over Westland, the agency said. The West Coast has also been…
A severe storm hit parts of New Zealand on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. The lower North Island and portions of the South Island were among the most affected areas. Otago residents said they witnessed a tornado, rising up to around…
Moderate volcanic unrest continues at New Zealand's Whakaari/White Island, with substantial gas, steam and mud bursts observed at the vent located at the back of the crater lake. Other monitoring parameters remain elevated and the Volcanic Alert Level stays at…
Moderate volcanic unrest continues at Whakaari/White Island, but no new changes are observed in the monitored parameters. The Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2 since November 18, 2019. The patterns of signals are similar to those through the 2011 – 2016…
Two severe weather events battered New Zealand's Canterbury region over the past 3 days – a severe hailstorm in Timaru on November 20, 2019, and a destructive tornado that ripped through Christchurch on November 18. After the catastrophic events, farmers found…
