Ruapehu volcano
Updated: May 30, 2023 15:01 GMT -
Stratovolcano 2797 m / 9,176 ft
North Island (New Zealand), -39.28°S / 175.57°E
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
North Island (New Zealand), -39.28°S / 175.57°E
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Last update: 4 May 2023 (Crater Lake temperature decreased rapidly, low-level seismic unrest continues)
Ruhapehu volcano
Ruapehu is one of New Zealand's most active volcanoes and forms the highest peak of the North Island. The andesitic stratovolcano has an age of around 200,000 years and contains a large summit crater containing a lake. Eruptions from the vent inside the lake often cause the lake to drain and form dangerous lahars.
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Ruapehu volcano eruptions:
Latest nearby earthquakes
| Time | Mag. / Depth | Distance/Location | ||
| Tuesday, May 30, 2023 GMT (1 quake) | ||||
| May 30, 2023 5:53 pm (GMT +12) (May 30, 2023 05:53 GMT) | 2.3 115 km | 32 km (20 mi) Manawatu-Wanganui, 65 km west of North Island, New Zealand | ||
| Wednesday, May 24, 2023 GMT (1 quake) | ||||
| May 25, 2023 8:42 am (GMT +12) (May 24, 2023 20:42 GMT) | 3.3 49 km | 30 km (19 mi) Waikato, 27 km south of North Island, New Zealand | ||
| Tuesday, May 30, 2023 GMT (1 quake) | ||||
| May 30, 2023 5:53 pm (GMT +12) (May 30, 2023 05:53 GMT) | 2.3 115 km | 32 km (20 mi) Manawatu-Wanganui, 65 km west of North Island, New Zealand | ||
| Wednesday, May 24, 2023 GMT (1 quake) | ||||
| May 25, 2023 8:42 am (GMT +12) (May 24, 2023 20:42 GMT) | 3.3 49 km | 30 km (19 mi) Waikato, 27 km south of North Island, New Zealand | ||
Background
Ruapehu is a complex volcanic edifice constructed over several cycles and has a NNE-SSW elongated shape. The cone is surrounded by a large plain formed by debris from flank collapse and lahar deposits.A series of very explosive (Plinian) eruptions occurred at Ruapehu between about 22,600 and 10,000 years ago. Since then, only one vent has probably been active, Crater Lake in the summit region. Activity in historic time consisted of mild explosive phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions often accompanied by lahars threatening the popular ski area on the volcano as well as structures in the surrounding valleys.
On 24th December 1953, a tephra dam holding in the crater lake failed passively, hence the lake drained to produce a catastrophic lahar that destroyed a rail bridge 42 km from the volcano, just as the Wellington-Auckland passenger train was crossing and fell into the valley, causing 151 fatalities.
See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS
