May 2016 – NEW ZEALAND – There
is only a very small chance the volcano that is now Lake Taupo will
erupt, but researchers are planning for a worst case scenario in case it
does. A team of researchers is studying the volcano so better response
plans can be put in place in case of a large eruption. The Earthquake
Commission said damage from the last time the volcano erupted – almost
1800 years ago – would be large enough to destroy the central North
Island.
The commission is funding research that
will map out where ash and debris would travel in an eruption. The
research is led by Simon Barker from Auckland University. He said it
will help emergency services in a worst case scenario, although the
chances of a large eruption are very slight. “We want to see what the
thickness of ash will be in the various regions, how far it will go. The
chances are still very very low but from the past activity we can
really see quite big eruptions all the way down to really small 1995,
1996 Ruapehu size.”
Dr .Barker said the eruptions of Mt
Ruapehu in 1995-6 were the minimum size expected at Lake Taupo, which
could be up to a 100 times greater. He said the researchers want to know
where the ash will go in modern atmospheric conditions and in different
seasons, as wind directions can shift a lot. Taupo is a very large
caldera (volcanic crater), Dr Barker said, taking up the entire northern
part of the lake. –Radio New Zealand
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