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Deadly Colombian volcano could be about to erupt, warn scientists

<div class="copy"> On March 30, Colombia’s Geological Service raised its alert level on the volcano from yellow to orange. They warn that the volcano could erupt with a strength unseen in the last 10 years within “weeks or days”. President of Colombia Gustavo Petro on April 5 ordered the voluntary evacuation of about 2,500 families living near the volcano. Many locals have been unwilling to leave their belongings and livelihoods behind. Geologists monitoring the volcano have recorded thousands of tremors every day – an unprecedented number. Nevado del Ruiz, one of Colombia’s tallest peaks at 5,321 metres high, is located in a populated farming region. It is only 129 km west of the country’s capital city Bogotá. In 1985, the volcano erupted with tragic consequences. It triggered mudslides that nearly completely buried the town of Armero. More than 23,000 of the town’s 30,000 residents were killed. Despite humanity’s long history of living under the shadow of volcanoes and trying to understand them, geologists, seismologists and vulcanologists remain largely baffled by the lava-spewing behemoths. The last time the threat level of Nevado del Ruiz was raised, for example, was in 2012. For over a month in April of that year, residents were under orange alert. This was increased to red alert for two days in June. But no major eruption occurred. Recently, new methods for assessing the risk of volcanic eruption have been trialled from studying the <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/volcano-breath-test-predict-eruptions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chemical composition of the atmosphere</a> above active volcanoes to <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/ai-volcano-eruptions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">utilising artificial intelligence</a> to try and make sense of the pattern of eruptions. University of Miami professor in marine geosciences Falk Amelung believes the threat should not be taken lightly. “This is a high-risk and well-monitored volcano, and right now, all the ingredients for a new eruption are there,” Amelung says in a university <a href="https://www.newswise.com/articles/is-colombia-s-deadly-nevado-del-ruiz-on-the-verge-of-a-major-eruption#!" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">press release</a> on Newswise. “A significant seismic swarm occurred on March 30, and this [low-magnitude] earthquake sequence strongly suggests that magma is on the move.” Like Mount St Helens in Washington state, US which famously erupted in 1980, killing 57 people, Nevado del Ruiz is a glacier-covered volcano. Amelung says that this places local residents under extra peril. “Even a relatively small eruption would melt the glacier,” Amelung explains. “Volcanic ash combined with the meltwater would form mudflows, known as lahars, that can travel fast and for several miles.” <div class="in-content-area content-third content-right"><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/massive-tongan-eruption-claimed-few-lives-due-to-quirk/"> </a></div> Amelung admits it is impossible to say with certainty what will happen. “This increased period of activity could well die down and nothing happens,” he says. Ironically, global warming over the last 38 years since the eruption which saw the inundation of Armero, means the glaciers that cover the volcano’s summit are smaller, lessening lahar hazards. “But it is also bad news in terms of eruption hazards because there is less pressure from the overburden to keep the magma at depth,” Amelung adds.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=246260&title=Deadly+Colombian+volcano+could+be+about+to+erupt%2C+warn+scientists" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/colombian-volcano-erupt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Evrim Yazgin. Images: Getty </div>

Travel Trouble

World’s largest active volcano erupts

The world’s largest active volcano has begun to erupt for the first time in 38 years, with officials warning locals to prepare in the event of a worst-case scenario. Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, located inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, began to erupt on Sunday night local time at Moku'āweoweo, the volcano’s summit caldera (a hollow that forms beneath the summit after an eruption). While the lava has been mostly contained within the summit, US officials said the situation could change rapidly and have urged Big Island’s 200,000 residents to prepare to evacuate if lava begins to flow towards populated areas. A warning about ashfall was previously issued to residents, given that falling ash can contaminate water supplies, kill vegetation and irritate the lungs, but the advisory has since been lifted. "Based on past events, the early stages of a Mauna Loa eruption can be very dynamic and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly," the US Geological Service (USGS) said. The public has also been urged to stay away from Mauna Loa, given the threat caused by lava that has been shooting 30 to 60 metres into the air, as well as the emission of harmful volcanic gases such as sulfur dioxide. The eruption - Moana Loa’s 33rd since 1843 - comes after a series of recent earthquakes hit the region, with more than a dozen reported on Sunday. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/mauna-lua1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />Aerial photos show the first time Mauna Loa has erupted in the past 38 years. Image: USGS Bobby Camara, a lifelong resident who lives in Big Island’s Volcano Village, told The Guardian that he had seen the volcano erupt three times in his life and warned that everyone on the island should be vigilant. “I think everybody should be a little bit concerned,” he said. “We don’t know where the flow is going, we don’t know how long it’s going to last.” Gunner Mench, an art gallery owner in Kamuela, told the outlet that he saw the eruption alert on his phone shortly after midnight on Sunday before venturing out to film the red glow over the island and lava spilling down the side of the volcano. “You could see it spurting up into the air, over the edge of this depression,” Mench said. “Right now it’s just entertainment, but the concern is (it could reach populated areas).” Dr Jessica Johnson, a volcano geophysicist who has worked at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, told the BBC that although the lava poses “little risk” to people, it could be a threat for infrastructure. She warned that lava flows could pose a threat to Hilo and Kona, two nearby population centres, and that the volcanic gases could cause breathing problems. While the USGS has noted there is no indication the lava will spill out of the summit, the agency has opened evacuation shelters due to reports of locals self-evacuating along the South Kona coast. Mauna Loa is the world’s largest active volcano and one of five that make up Hawaii’s Big Island, the southernmost island in the archipelago. Image: H24 NET (Twitter)

International Travel

Volcano breath test helps scientists predict deadly eruptions

Humanity has a long history of living in the shadows of active volcanoes. Prized for their rich, fertile soils – ideal for cultivating crops – and their local topography, it isn’t hard to see why living in active volcanic regions remains a worthwhile gamble. Volcanic eruptions, however, are notoriously difficult to predict but improving our diagnostic abilities is crucial for developing early warning procedures and evading disaster. External indicators such as earthquakes and deformation of the Earth’s crust are traditional methods of identifying an imminent eruption, however, not all eruptions give these early warning signs. But now a research team from the University of Tokyo has gained better insight into the relationship between changes in the magma composition and eruption, by studying the ratio of specific chemical isotopes in gas and steam emitted from fumaroles — holes and cracks in the earth’s surface. “When you compare a volcano with a human body, the conventional geophysical methods represented by observations of earthquakes and crustal deformation are similar to listening to the chest and taking body size measurements”, said Professor Hirochika Sumino from the Research Centre for Advanced Science and Technology, who led the study. “In these cases, it is difficult to know what health problem causes some noise in your chest or a sudden increase in your weight, without a detailed medical check. On the other hand, analysing the chemical and isotope composition of elements in fumarolic gases is like a breath or blood test. This means we are looking at actual material directly derived from magma to know precisely what is going on with the magma.” Previous research on gas associated with an eruption from a volcano in the Canary Islands in 2011 showed an increase in the ratio of heavier helium isotopes which are typical of mantle material. “We knew that the helium isotope ratio occasionally changes from a low value, similar to the helium found in the Earth’s crust, to a high value, like that in the Earth’s mantle, when the activity of magma increases,” said Sumino. “But we didn’t know why we had more mantle-derived helium during magmatic unrest.” Sumino and team sought the answers in fumerole gas around Kusatsu-Shirane, an active volcano 150 km northwest of Tokyo. Taking samples of the gas back to the lab every few months between 2014 and 2021, the researchers were able to ascertain precise measurements of the isotopic components, discovering a relationship between the ratio of argon-40 to helium-3 ( a ‘high value’ isotope of helium) and magmatic unrest. “Using computer models, we revealed that the ratio reflects how much the magma underground is foaming, making bubbles of volcanic gases which separate from the liquid magma,” explained Sumino. The extent to which the magma is foaming “controls how much magmatic gas is provided to the hydrothermal system beneath a volcano and how buoyant the magma is. The former is related to a risk of phreatic eruption, in which an increase in water pressure in the hydrothermal system causes the eruption. The latter would increase the rate of magma ascent, resulting in a magmatic eruption.” The research collaboration is now developing a portable type of mass spectrometer which could be used in the field for real time analysis, reducing the need to constantly collect and transport samples back to the lab – a challenging a time-consuming process. “Our next step is to establish a noble gas analysis protocol with this new instrument, to make it a reality that all active volcanoes — at least those which have the potential to cause disaster to local residents — are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Sumino. This article originally appeared on cosmosmagazine.com and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/volcano-breath-test-predict-eruptions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clare Kenyon</a>. Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

White Island volcano survivor’s emotional plea during COVID lockdown

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Stephanie Browitt overcame extreme adversity as she lost her father and her sister in the White Island volcano eruption. As she lives in Melbourne, she has also been in lockdown and has shared a message of hope. "As someone who is grieving deeply and has essentially been in lockdown since early December, due to my six months admission in hospital, I truly believe that focusing on what you can’t change is wasted energy that could be used elsewhere," she explained to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/coronavirus/melbourne-strong-white-island-survivors-plea-to-lockeddown-melburnians/news-story/f1753533b79b0936d98763a58bb7ea33" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink">The Herald Sun</a>. She explained that her time in hospital was tough, but she kept sane by focusing on having her "normal day to day life back". As she was released when Melbourne is in lockdown due to COVID-19, she unfortunately hasn't had that experience. However, she doesn't let it get her down. "I’ve learnt one of the hardest lessons in life which is that you never know when you’re going to lose someone you love," she shared. "I lost my dad and sister so suddenly and I would do anything and everything to have them in lockdown with mum and I. "I feel as though people don’t realise how precious time is and that you don’t often get the chance to be with family like this," she said. Stephanie also explained that being in lockdown in Melbourne is something that "everyone is going through together". "It isn’t forever and that’s what I choose to focus on. "I choose to take it one day at a time and enjoy my time with mum. I choose to explore what I can do from home and get creative with my time. I choose to stay home and accept this because everybody deserves to feel safe," she said. She also urged people not to be selfish and be "team players". "We need to be team players to overcome this petrifying pandemic. "We just can’t afford to branch off on our own, at the risk of killing another or perhaps our own family members," she said. Her mum Marie said that Stephanie will require more painful and expensive surgeries as she has amputated fingers and burns to most of her body that require a compression suit and full face mask. “She won’t complain,” Marie said. That’s despite the fact “she’s disfigured and her fingers are chopped and she’s burnt all over … she’s just trying to stay alive”. The loss of family members seems to have hit the pair the hardest. “My youngest daughter passed away on the mountain and my husband suffered to death. My other daughter is horrifically injured … I can tell you, there is nothing more important than family … just having your family alive and healthy,” Marie said. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do — I would live in a gutter and give up anything — to bring my husband and child back.” The loss still impacts them to this day. “We cry daily, which doesn’t have anything to do with isolation, but because of our grief, our great loss, and our empty home which was once full of laughter and food and people,” Marie said. “Every week, I go to the cemetery where my husband and daughter lay, just so I can talk to them. ” Marie has some advice for Melbourne citizens who are struggling, which is to be safe with your loved ones. “There are people out there, ignoring laws designed to protect their own family’s survival. I can’t comprehend it. “If you have your family, and you have your health, you have everything. I just wish people could see that. “But there are people out there putting themselves and their families, and other families, at risk, complaining about being stuck, with their family, at home. “People are complaining about losing their businesses and the economy, and not being able to go shopping or out for a leisurely stroll, but these things don’t matter. “There is no amount of money, no possessions, that I wouldn’t give up to get some of what I had back, just to get a glimpse of my child or hear her voice or laugh again, to smell her smell.” “Material things you can always get back. You cannot get your family back … Death is irreversible.” </div> </div> </div>

Caring

How three White Island volcano survivors dodged almost certain death

Three White Island survivors held their breath underwater for two minutes in a move that saved their lives as a toxic cloud of ash hovered above them. Helicopter pilot Brian Depauw landed his aircraft with a group of German tourists on the volcanic island off the coast of New Zealand shortly before it erupted on December 9 last year. The group had to flee by boat as their chopper’s rotors were destroyed when it was thrown from its launch pad amid the explosion. When he discovered the helicopter won’t be able to fly, Mr Depauw saw plumes of ash coming towards the group and yelled “jump into the water!” He jumped into the sea with two of his clients – tourists from Germany – and took in a gasp of air before plunging below the surface. “This is it,” he thought, as reported by US publication Outside. “There’s no surviving this.” Depauw witnessed a dark cloud roll over the water’s surface before everything went black. After two minutes, his lungs were in pain. Once the trio saw light, they emerged through the darkness to get some air. The water around them had a thick layer of yellow dust that smelled strongly of sulfur. They then swam to the jetty where tourists with blackened limbs began to gather. The two who followed Depauw into the water came out unscathed, but the others weren’t so lucky as they experienced horrific burns. There were 47 people on the island when the volcano erupted. 21 people died.

Travel Trouble

White Island volcano tour guide's miraculous recovery after surviving eruption

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> 19-year-old Jake Milbank, a White Island tour guide, has been seen for the first time since the volcano erupted on December 9. He was leading a group of tourists around the volcano when it erupted, with the blast claiming the lives of 21 people. Milbank suffered burns to 80 percent of his body, but is now enjoying spending time with his family and his beloved family pet. He was allowed to leave the hospital for the first time on March 1 and it was the first time he had been outside in three months. “After more than three long months in hospital things are finally starting to look up as my medical team have cleared me for day leave,” he wrote in an Instagram update. “The first thing on my list was to go and see this little cutie who hasn't seen me in a whopping 1.8 dog years. “Such an awesome feeling to be back out in the real world breathing in some fresh air.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9lZPh6hJID/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9lZPh6hJID/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">After more than three long months in hospital things are finally starting to look up as my medical team have cleared me for day leave! The first thing on my list was to go and see this little cutie who hasn’t seen me in a whopping 1.8 dog years 😅 Such an awesome feeling to be back out in the real world breathing in some fresh air. I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped me get to this point, I couldn’t have done it without you all ❤️</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/jake_milbank/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Jake Milbank</a> (@jake_milbank) on Mar 11, 2020 at 12:03am PDT </div> </blockquote> Milbank also updated his <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-support-jakes-recovery" target="_blank">Give a Little</a> page, explaining that he had been able to spend the day celebrating his aunt’s birthday. “I am now fully grafted which means my physio regime has been getting more and more intense as my skin grafts heal,” the Give A Little update said. “From walking on the treadmill to pumping iron we are seeing improvements every day. “I am finally beginning to gain weight and have put on three kilograms in the last three weeks.” Friends and family of Milbank have been making the eight-hour round trip to the hospital to visit, including colleagues from White Island tours. “Words can't even express how amazing my family have been, they have been so supportive, keeping me company and bringing me home cooked meals, I can't thank them enough,” he said. </div> </div> </div>

Caring

"Raw with grief": White Island volcano victim finally wakes from coma to find husband and stepdaughter died

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Adelaide mother and engineer Lisa Dallow woke from a coma and received the heartbreaking news that her daughter and husband passed away in the White Island volcano tragedy. Lisa, 48, told relatives how she and other tourists fled for their lives as rocks rained down on them during the eruption on December 9. She woke in Melbourne’s The Alfred Hospital burns unit and was given the news that her daughter Zoe, 15, and Gavin, 53 had passed. Relatives told <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/sa-woman-lisa-dallow-wakes-from-coma-to-hear-her-husband-gavin-and-daughter-zoe-died-in-the-white-island-volcano-tragedy/news-story/81e97399ddf87c0b4006d2a51933bcb9" target="_blank">The Advertiser</a> that she was devastated. “Lisa is awake and has been told about Zoe and Gavin, so she now knows what has happened,” a family spokeswoman said. “It took a while for it to sink in and then she just kept saying she can’t believe they had died.” The family spokesman also said that Lisa had some memories of the volcano erupting. “She remembers it exploding and then telling everyone to run,” she said. “She then recalled how rocks were falling everywhere and hitting her on the back. “She remembers thinking: ‘When are they going to come and rescue us?’ The next thing she knows is she is in hospital wondering where she was.” After Lisa missed Gavin’s funeral at Adelaide Oval last month, her family has delayed Zoe’s memorial in the hopes that Lisa can attend as she undergoes intensive rehab. “She wasn’t able to go to Gavin’s funeral, but we are hoping she could make Zoe’s, so they have delayed it until she is a bit better,” the spokesperson explained. “It will be Lisa’s decision, so we all just have to wait and see. It is so devastating for everyone. We are still raw with grief.” Lisa was critically injured after suffering life-threatening burns to almost 60 percent of her body and is currently receiving high-level care from Australia’s top trauma doctors. “It really is a slow road to recovery, Lisa has been up and down,” the spokesman said. Photo credits: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/sa-woman-lisa-dallow-wakes-from-coma-to-hear-her-husband-gavin-and-daughter-zoe-died-in-the-white-island-volcano-tragedy/news-story/81e97399ddf87c0b4006d2a51933bcb9" target="_blank">Adelaide Now</a> </div> </div> </div>

Cruising

Over 400 volcanoes scattered across Australia you didn't know existed

Volcano experts said Australia should be better prepared for potential eruptions with hundreds of volcanic centres scattered around the country’s southeast. As work continues to identify the victims of New Zealand’s White Island tragedy, volcanologists warned they do “not know” when an eruption could occur in Australia and there may not be much warning. Experts said despite the slim chances of eruption, Australia is underprepared against the risk. “I would say that we shouldn’t be overly concerned by the volcanic risk,” volcanic risk expert Christina Magill told the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08120099.2013.806954">ABC</a>. “It is something that should be considered in the emergency management plan for the areas around the volcanic province, because it’s still a possibility. “I think that’s a hazard that we’re not aware of as much here in Australia.” The Newer Volcanics Province stretches 400km between Melbourne and south-east South Australia, and hosts about 400 volcanoes which have erupted in the past 4.5 million years. The area experienced a volcanic eruption about every 12,000 years on average, with the last eruption taking place about 5,000 years ago in the Mount Gambier and Mount Schanck area. However, Macquarie University’s associate professor of volcanology and geochemistry Heather Handley said eruption could take place any time. “We just don’t know – it could be in a few weeks, it could be a month, it could be a few years, it could be thousands of years,” Handley said. A <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08120099.2013.806954">2013 study</a> from Monash University found that the first warning signs of eruption in the area would have been noticed only up to two days in advance. Handley said Australia could follow from Auckland’s example. “That’s a city that’s a third of New Zealand’s population [and] sits on an active volcanic field,” she said. “They do prepare. They run simulations with military and they work very closely with local governments, and they try to figure out eruption scenarios.”

Domestic Travel

White Island volcano eruption: Risky recovery operation begins

A New Zealand military team has landed on the volcanic White Island to recover the bodies of eight people killed in Monday’s eruption, the police announced on Friday morning. The eight-member NZ Defence Force team has arrived on Whakaari/White Island to airlift the bodies off to the naval ship HMNZS Wellington. Located about 50 kilometres off the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, the White Island is still “highly volatile” with 50 to 60 per cent chance of erupting in the next 24 hours, geological agency GNS Science said <a href="https://www.gns.cri.nz/Home/News-and-Events/Media-Releases/GNS-Science-maps-show-risk-levels-at-Whakaari-White-Island-still-high-12-12-2019">on Thursday</a>. “Whakaari/White Island is an active volcano, and the estimated chance of an eruption is increasing every day,” said the agency’s volcanologist Graham Leonard. “This level of volcanic activity is the highest we’ve seen since the eruption in 2016.” Six Australians are believed to be among the victims on the island: Karla Matthews and Richard Elzer from Coffs Harbour; Julie and Jessica Richards from Brisbane; Zoe Hosking from Adelaide; and Krystal Browitt from Melbourne. There were 47 people on the island at the time of eruption. Twenty-four of those were from Australia, nine from the United States, five from New Zealand, four from Germany, two each from China and Britain, and one from Malaysia. Police said on Thursday two people who were hospitalised from injuries sustained during the eruption had died, bringing the official death toll to eight. Police believe a total of 16 people have died. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told ABC Radio National on Friday morning the country’s workplace health and safety regulator WorkSafe was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/dec/12/new-zealand-volcano-eruption-white-island-nz-police-victim-recovery-retrieval-operation-whakaari-live-news-latest-updates">investigating the circumstances</a> around the eruption. “I’m passing no judgement,” she said. “I need that job to be done properly and [families and the community] deserve to have their questions answered.”

News

Desperate request from White Island volcano victim’s brother denied by NZ PM

The heartbroken brother of the White Island volcano eruption victim has written to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asking if he could stage his own recovery operation of his sibling’s body. Mark Inman’s brother Hayden Marshall-Inman was the first victim named from the horrific eruption that has also killed seven other Australians with ten others missing or feared dead. Hayden worked as a tour guide on the island and was described as an “energetic young man” who would regularly leave $5 at the local shop for those who needed it for groceries. Mark met the New Zealand Prime Minister after the disaster and sent her an email inquiring about staging his own recovery of his brother’s body. New Zealand police currently say that conditions are too dangerous for emergency services to access the island at present. The email that Mark sent to Ardern reads: "We met yesterday concerning my brother Hayden who is still on White Island 44 hours after the explosions," he wrote, in an email shared with New Zealand's version of The Project. "With the current conditions of sunshine baking and decomposing his body, he's going from a situation where we could have an open casket to now more likely not having a body at all – due to your government's red tape and slow decision making." "I am writing to ask for a pardon for my actions of a personal recovery." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> Here is Mark Inman's letter to <a href="https://twitter.com/jacindaardern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jacindaardern</a>, requesting a pardon should he attempt a personal recovery of his brother's body <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectNZ?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectNZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/jLejGDL2W8">pic.twitter.com/jLejGDL2W8</a> — The Project NZ (@TheProject_NZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheProject_NZ/status/1204648066747224064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2019</a></blockquote> Staff from Ardern’s office said the message was passed onto police minister Stuart Nash and acknowledging that this must be an “incredibly tough time for you”. "It must be an incredibly tough time for you and your whanau (family). We have passed your email to the Minister of Police's office who will be in touch with you about the situation very soon,” the email said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> And the response: <a href="https://t.co/8UZ5NGslw8">pic.twitter.com/8UZ5NGslw8</a> — The Project NZ (@TheProject_NZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheProject_NZ/status/1204648083415433217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2019</a></blockquote> Police minister Nash then confirmed that Mark’s request to go to the volcano had been denied. "The last thing we want to do is to have further casualties in what is already a significant tragedy," Nash said without mentioning Mr Inman by name. "We won't give anyone permission to go to the island, we need to understand the risk then we can work to mitigate the chances of anyone else being injured in this. "The last thing we want to do is for people to risk their lives to go out to the island." He also said the request was "foolhardy, but I understand, out of frustration when in fact all they will be doing is putting themselves in greater harm." Mark told the New Zealand version of The Project that a pilot had seen his brother’s body and moved it onto a rise on the island. "We all know health and safety is important, but when health and safety starts to become a barrier to retrieval, that's when you get frustrated," Mr Inman said.

News

Death toll rises: Australian dead confirmed in White Island volcano tragedy

The number of people who died in the New Zealand volcano disaster has risen to eight, with seven of them being Australians. A further 30 people are currently in different hospitals across New Zealand being treated for injuries. Among the Australians confirmed dead are Brisbane woman Julie Richards, 47, her daughter Jessica Richards, 20, Adelaide man Gavin Dallow and Jason Griffiths from Coffs Harbour. Adding to that, Knox Grammar School in North Sydney released a heartbreaking statement confirming the death of their two students – Matthew Hollander (year 8) and Berend Hollander (year 10) – who passed away due to the injuries they faced during the incident. The school revealed that the boys’ parents are still unaccounted for. The identity of one Australian victim, and the eighth person, is not yet known. It has now been confirmed that 47 people were on or close to White Island when the volcano erupted. Nine of those were a group of inseparable friends Australia who took a trip of a lifetime to New Zealand, not knowing that only six would make it back alive. The group boarded Ovation of the Seas in Sydney last week and spent five days together at sea as they travelled to the Bay of Islands and Auckland before docking in Tauranga on Monday. Three of them, young couple Karla Mathews and Richard Elzer – as well as Jason Griffiths – jumped at the chance to explore New Zealand’s most active volcano. The others, Alex, Daniel, Ellie, Leanne, Paul and Samantha, stayed on board to admire the island from afar. But it wasn’t long before the volcano erupted, killed Ms Mathews and Mr Elzer, both 32, first. Their bodies still remain on White Island. Mr Griffiths, 33, was rescued from the island but due to suffering burns to 80 per cent of his body, he died shortly after arriving to hospital. The remaining six travel companions heard the tragic news after being left in the dark for a while. “We discovered that two of our friends, Richard Elzer and Karla Mathews, were still on the island,” said the six friends in a joint statement. “We have been advised that there are no signs of life on the island. We then located our third friend, Jason Griffiths, in a hospital in the early house of [Thursday] morning.” Mr Griffiths’ death was confirmed on Wednesday night. “From that moment until the moment of his passing, Jason was surrounded by friends and family members,” the friends said. “We are incredibly saddened to have lost three of our closest friends.”

News

“I’m just livid”: Cruise passengers claim they weren’t told about White Islands active volcano

An Australian cruise passenger is furious and has claimed that tourists weren’t warned about the danger level of the New Zealand volcano White Island was raised just weeks before it erupted. At least six people have died after the volcano erupted when 47 tourists were on or around the volcano crater. Scientists had noted an increase in volcanic activity, which raises questions about why visitors were allowed to tour the volcano in the first place. 'It showed increased activity for the last few weeks and so we raised the alert level,' GeoNet Project Director Dr Ken Gledhill said on Monday afternoon to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/furious-australian-cruise-passenger-says-tourists-werent-warned-new-zealand-volcano-could-erupt-at-any-moment-despite-danger-level-being-raised-weeks-before-deadly-explosion/ar-BBY26rR?li=AAgfYrC" target="_blank">MSN</a>. Venessa Lugo, who is a passenger on Ovation of the Seas, said that the cruise provided information about the White Island day trip but did not detail the raised danger level, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/world/new-zealand-white-island-volcanic-eruption-at-least-six-dead-31-injured/news-story/c24e5406b279ff5f40aeb78cd18b6345" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a>. Lugo said that there were printed sheets on the ship as well as details accessible on a Royal Caribbean app about the shore excursion. “In those sheets we weren't advised of any warnings of anything going off,” she said. “It did ask about pre-existing medical conditions, and it was classified as strenuous activity because you would be in a gas mask, but it definitely didn't specify the possibility of (the volcano) going off.” A spokeswoman for Royal Caribbean did not comment on the claims when contacted but <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-cruise-passengers-impacted-by-island-volcano-eruption/36288" target="_blank">released a statement</a> about the incident. “The news from White Island is devastating. The details that are emerging are heartbreaking. “We are working to help our guests and the authorities in the aftermath of this tragedy in any way we can. “We are communicating with our guests and their families. We're making sure they are taken care of in terms of medical help, counselling, accommodations, and transport. Our hearts go out to them, and we want to be as supportive as we can.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> My god, White Island volcano in New Zealand erupted today for first time since 2001. My family and I had gotten off it 20 minutes before, were waiting at our boat about to leave when we saw it. Boat ride home tending to people our boat rescued was indescribable. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whiteisland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#whiteisland</a> <a href="https://t.co/QJwWi12Tvt">pic.twitter.com/QJwWi12Tvt</a> — Michael Schade (@sch) <a href="https://twitter.com/sch/status/1203893996566634496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">9 December 2019</a></blockquote> Barbara Barhamn, the mother of Lauren Urey, said that her daughter and her husband Matthew would have “never booked the excursion” had they known about the risks. “I'm just livid,” she said after learning the couple had been rescued with burns. “There's been warnings about it ... my son-in-law never would have booked the excursion if he knew there was any chance of them being injured,” she said. White Islands Tours chairman Paul Quinn said that decisions not to tour the island is determined by the weather. “In the normal course of events, we'd actually make that call the night before, and that principally and invariably is around the weather,” he explained to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/its-big-tragedy-us-white-island-tours-chairman-says-iwi-owned-business-missing-two-employees" target="_blank">TVNZ</a>. Quinn also explained that they work off data sent from the Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS). “They send us reports as to what the activity levels are and if in fact it is deemed safe - which is a level two which it was yesterday - the next step is the weather and then we make our choice from there,” he said. Quinn said that a level two has been deemed safe for tours. Others have said that the eruption was just a matter of time, including Monash University Emeritus Professor Ray Cas. “White Island has been a disaster waiting to happen for many years,” he said to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-10/a-disaster-waiting-to-happen:-prof-raymond-cas-on-eruption/11786046" target="_blank">ABC</a>. "It's 50 kilometres offshore from New Zealand with no habitation, no emergency services available. "When you actually get onto the island, you walk straight into this amphitheatre-like volcanic crater. "The floor is littered with many gas-emitting vents and also several volcanic crater lakes which are emitting steam at near-boiling temperatures.”

News

Missing Australians named in White Island volcano eruption

Hundreds of cruise passengers have woken up to a “sombre” morning on the Ovation of the Seas ship after at least five people were killed in a volcanic eruption on New Zealand’s White Island. The incident has left 31 people hospitalised, including a number of Australian tourists who had been sightseeing yesterday. Eight people are currently still missing. New Zealand Police issued a statement, saying they do not believe they will be able to locate any more survivors after conducting aerial surveillance of the island. Speaking to 9news.com.au, an Australian passenger name Anna, who is currently on board the Ovation while docked at Tauranga said the atmosphere on the cruise is “sobering and sombre”. “(I have taken) a walk through the main ship area and there’s not a lot of life. A few people at guest services,” she said. “I can see another cruise ship out in the water; they might’ve been due in here today. “I’m feeling pretty helpless mostly, there’s nothing I can do beyond be understanding about any decisions that are made for the families involved.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said of the 24 Australians visiting the island during the eruption, a few were among those who had been taken to hospitals on the mainland. “There are still people who are unaccounted for, including Australians,” he said. “We hope to know more in the morning, however we must prepare for some difficult news in the days ahead. “Jenny and I extend our love to all the individuals and families affected. This is a terrible and anxious time for them.” Here are the Australians listed as missing on the Red Cross website: • Amy Miall, 30, of Brisbane • Anthony Langford, 51, of North Sydney • Gary Woolley, of Sydney • Gavin Brian Dallow, 53, of Adelaide • James Whitehouse, 23, of Brisbane • Jane Murray, 56, of Sydney • Jason David Griffiths, 33, of Coffs Harbour NSW • Jesse Langford, 19, of North Sydney • Jessica Richards, 20, of Australia • Julie Richards, 47, of Australia • Karla Michelle Mathews, 32, of Coffs Harbour NSW • Kristine Langford, of Australia • Madeleine Whitehouse, 24, of Brisbane • Mathew Thomas, 31, of Tamworth NSW • Maureen Jones, 68, of Bathurst NSW • Mitchell James O’Shea, of Canberra • Richard Aaron Elzer, 32, of Coffs Harbour NSW • Robert Rogers, 78, of Herberton Queensland • Samson Tamaliunas, 12, of Western Australia • Stuart Raymond Trott, 45, of Melbourne • Tarli Sky Tonks, 14, of Tasmania • Winona Langford, 17, of North Sydney • Ziggy Viero, 7, of Australia • Zoe Hosking, 15, of Adelaide

Travel Trouble

20 people injured after violent volcano eruption off New Zealand coast

An eruption from a volcano on White Island in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty has taken course, with unconfirmed reports of up to 20 people injured. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12292240" target="_blank">The New Zealand Herald</a> reported rescue helicopters are on the way to the island and it is understood up to 100 people may have been on the island at the time of its disastrous eruption. White Island Tours boats were reportedly near the island. A level four alert has been raised – it is the second highest rating meaning there is an eruption hazard on and near the volcano. The island is 48 kilometres from the Bay of Plenty, a bight in the northern coast of New Zealand's North Island. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Whakaari/White Island is erupting. More information soon. <a href="https://t.co/B5m4BSa4bt">pic.twitter.com/B5m4BSa4bt</a> — GeoNet (@geonet) <a href="https://twitter.com/geonet/status/1203851449483984896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2019</a></blockquote> The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) released a national warning statement for a moderate volcanic eruption, describing the environment as “hazardous in the immediate vicinity of the volcano”. “Volcanic hazards may impact areas on and near the volcano. Ashfall may impact areas distant from the volcano. People should stay out of designated restricted zones.” <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D10212478296591803%26set%3Da.10203084101142788%26type%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="612" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Cameras positioned near the volcano was believed to have displayed people hiking near the eruption site shortly before the explosion. Geological hazard trackers GeoNet had noted there had been somewhat of a moderate volcanic unrest on the island for weeks, before Monday afternoon's eruption. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Yup looks like it... Both of the cameras in the crater have changed significantly. <a href="https://t.co/eVEAfm94oo">pic.twitter.com/eVEAfm94oo</a> — Brady Dyer (@BR4DY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BR4DY/status/1203854492917063680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2019</a></blockquote> Dan Harvey, a man fishing approximately 40 km from the island, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12292240" target="_blank">The New Zealand Herald</a> a dark plume of smoke projected into the sky about 2.15pm. “I looked over and saw a burst of steam coming up. There was nothing above the island at that time. It was just clear blue sky. It was unusual to see it go from nothing to steam erupting out of it,” he said. MORE TO COME. Image: Instagram @byminke

News

Inside the popular island paradise that hides a deadly secret

Sitting among the quiet island of Stromboli, Italy, is a ticking time bomb that has also made the island home. The 300-full time residents are used to the rumbles that frequently disturb the island that’s surrounded by the Tyrrhenian Sea. The rumbles are due to a deadly volcanic mountain that rises 924 metres above sea level and extends more than 1,000 metres below. Earlier this year, the volcano erupted twice, separated by 30 seconds. Residents and tourists were quickly evacuated from the island as lava spat from the active mouths of the mountain. “It was like being in hell because of the rain of fire coming from the sky,” Stromboli priest Giovanni Longo told local media. The explosion killed one hiker and covered the island in ash. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3VDSRiCEmY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3VDSRiCEmY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Italy, together with Iceland, presents the highest concentration of active volcanoes in Europe and is one of the first in the world #volcano #volcanoes #italy #etna #vesuvio #stromboli #vulcano #naples #napoli #catania #pompei #eruption #risk #risks #alerts #eruption #lava #lapilli #island</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/i_love_made_in_italy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> I love made in Italy</a> (@i_love_made_in_italy) on Oct 7, 2019 at 12:35pm PDT </div> </blockquote> After the small town recovered, there was a “high intensity” blast just two months later. No one was injured, but footage emerged of residents fleeing the island in a panic. Experts believe that the volcano on the island has been in nearly continuous eruption for at least 2,000 years, but it’s the unknown that keeps residents and tourists on edge. More and more tourists are heading to the island to witness the powerful experience of a volcanic eruption. “Volcanoes are one of the forces of nature that truly are beyond human power to control: We can’t do anything about eruptions, other than get out of the way,” Amy Donovan, a geographer at the University of Cambridge, wrote for a paper published in December with the Royal Geographical Society.

Travel Trouble

Panic as Bali’s Mount Agung volcano erupts

After months of intensive monitoring and extensive local evacuations, Bali’s Mount Agung volcano has erupted. The eruption has been confirmed by the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre. “Already, it’s already erupted,” PVMBG head, I Gede Suantika, said. “There is already ash fall,” Suantika said. The volcano erupted at 5:05 pm local time (8:05 pm AEDT). “Smoke is observed with medium pressure with a thick grey colour and with a maximum height of about 700m above the peak,” local authorities said. Locals are being urged not to panic. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Erupsi Freatik Gunung Agung sejak jam 17:02 WITA. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GunungAgung?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GunungAgung</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GunungAgungSiaga?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GunungAgungSiaga</a> <a href="https://t.co/0mtz7H3yX4">pic.twitter.com/0mtz7H3yX4</a> — BNPB Indonesia (@BNPB_Indonesia) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNPB_Indonesia/status/932915203309576192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote> Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency said the eruption remained small so far, but a thick grey ash cloud was being emitted by the volcano. More than 140,000 people fled their homes around the crater last month in fear of the looming eruption. The evacuation zone extends between 6 to 7.5 kilometres from the summit. Mount Agung last erupted in 1963 and nearly 1600 people died. Officials said the recent rumblings, which started in August, did not pose an immediate threat to those who live nearby. The alert level remains at three after it fell from the maximum level of four on October 29. “At this point this is very, very small,” tweeted New Zealand volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner. “Right now this is not a serious eruption but of course this can change,” Dr Krippner said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Agung?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Agung</a> is not spewing, people are not panicked. At this time the eruption is small and everyone should be encouraged to stay calm, be alert, and watch official information sources. <a href="https://t.co/VIw6j5HRUR">https://t.co/VIw6j5HRUR</a> — Dr Janine Krippner (@janinekrippner) <a href="https://twitter.com/janinekrippner/status/932936707112128512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote> “Time to make sure you are prepared and keep an eye on official Agung information,” Dr Krippner said. Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport remains open at the moment. Concerns over the eruption are believed to have cost Bali at least $110 million in lost tourism and productivity as many local residents move to shelters.

International Travel

The restaurant where they cook over a volcano

El Diablo, a restaurant on the Spanish island of Lanzarote off the coast of Africa, attracts customers around the world for food cooked over a volcano. As you can see in the gallery above, it’s an incredible experience. Food is cooked on a giant grill that’s actually located over one of the dormant volcano’s opening, employing heat from an actual volcano. That’s one way of keeping the overheads down! It’s been a while since anyone’s seen any real activity from the volcano (way back in 1824) so you can be comfortable your meal won’t be interrupted. To see images of the restaurant, scroll through the gallery above. Have you ever been to Spain? What’s the best meal you’ve had overseas? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you. Related links: <a href="/travel/international/2016/08/phenomenal-timelapse-video-of-flight-from-malaga-to-liverpool/">Phenomenal timelapse video of flight from Malaga to Liverpool</a> <a href="/travel/international/2016/08/the-reason-these-6-ghost-towns-were-abandoned/">The reason these 6 ghost towns were abandoned</a> <a href="/travel/international/2016/07/6-of-the-best-european-beaches-to-visit/">6 of the best European beaches to visit</a>

International Travel

Mexican volcano erupts in breathtaking display

Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano erupted early Monday morning this week, with a dazzling, starry night sky lit up in a spectacular display of smoke, ash and lava. As you can see in the video above, it was something to behold. The volcano has been monitored by cameras since it first rumbled back to life and on Sunday morning it did, sending a column of gas and ash 2,000 metres into the sky. A 12km security ring around the volcano has been mandated. Popocatepetl has been dormant for a little while, with the volcano’s last major eruption recorded back in 2000, where more than 40,000 people had to be evacuated. Have you ever been to Mexico? Let us know in the comments! Video credit: YouTube / webcamsdemexico Related links: <a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/03/lesser-known-national-parks/">8 national parks many people haven’t heard of</a> <a href="/travel/domestic-travel/2015/08/australias-best-mountains-to-climb/">6 of the best Australian mountains to climb</a> <a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/06/10-lesser-known-new-zealand-holiday-spots/">10 lesser-known New Zealand holiday spots</a>

International Travel

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Mexican volcano erupts in breathtaking display

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