WELLINGTON, Dec 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The death toll after New Zealand’s White Island’s volcanic eruption on Monday, rose to six, after one of the 31 people injured has died in hospital.
Eight others are still missing and are presumed dead, the New Zealand police said.
Two Chinese nationals were among those injured, according to the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand. The two have been sent to hospital for treatment.
Forty-seven people were on the White Island at the time of the eruption.
The 47 people, most of them tourists and tour guides, included two from Britain, four from Germany, 24 from Australia, five from New Zealand, two from China, one from Malaysia and nine from the U.S.
One of the six victims was a New Zealand tour guide. The nationalities of the other five victims have yet to be confirmed, the police said.
Most of the injured suffered severe burns and lung damage, according to St. John’s Ambulance services.
Police said, rescue operation was initially “too dangerous to carry out,” and they had rescued “everyone that could be rescued,” on Monday.
Rescuers also faced toxic gases and small eruptions, while planning to search for the eight missing tourists.
However, New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern said, “no signs of life have been seen,” after helicopters and aircraft undertook a number of aerial reconnaissance flights over the island.
Shane Cronin, a professor of Earth Sciences at University of Auckland, told local media that, the White Island is one of several volcanoes in New Zealand that can produce sudden explosive eruptions at any time.
“In this case, magma is shallow, and the heat and gases affect surface and ground water, to form vigorous hydro-thermal systems,” Cronin wrote.
The White Island is a famous tourist attraction in New Zealand. People can explore the volcanic island by boat or by helicopter. If safety conditions permit, visitors can even enter the main volcano crater.
The “short-lived” eruption generated an ash plume of over 3,000 metres above the vent, said the GeoNet website in New Zealand, adding, the ash fall appeared to be confined to the island only.– NNN-AGENCIES