New Zealand’s White Island erupts

The White Island volcano of New Zealand erupted in early December. White island, also known as Whakaari, is located about 50 km from the eastern coast of North Island in a region known as the Taupo Volcanic Zone. It is the country’s most active volcano and it belongs to the stratovolcano category (volcanoes characterized by conical shape and its layers are built up by years of lava flow and hardening). The island is actually the tip of a sub-marine volcano which rises from the seabed to a height of 1,600m. The volcano is noted for its near continuous emission of volcanic gases since 1760. It is monitored by the Deep earth Carbon Degassing Project. The National Emergency Management Agency of the country declared the eruption hazardous and the vicinity prone to falling ash. It caused injury to several persons and also resulted in 5 fatalities.