New Zealand officials have increased the aviation alert code for Whakaari/White Island, after it shows signs of a greater risk of eruption.
According to GeoNet, a geological monitoring system in New Zealand, Whakaari/White Island is the country’s most active cone volcano, located 48 kilometers offshore. The island spans approximately 325 hectares, which is about 30% of the volcano’s total mass, while the rest is underwater.
In a statement, released by GeoNet on its website on December 16, 2024, the volcano is “not actively erupting”, but is currently producing larger steam and gas plumes. There have been reports of occasional small emissions of volcanic ash.
The recent activity at Whakaari/White Island shows “moderate-heightened unrest”, the statement continued. This means that volcanic activity might increase again, and the volcano could erupt with little or no warning.
The Aviation Colour Code has been raised to orange, indicating a higher chance of an eruption. The Aviation Colour Code (ACC) system uses four colors: green for normal activity, yellow for volcanic activity decrease, orange for increased risk of sudden eruption, and red for an ongoing eruption with heavy emission of ash.
On December 14, 2024, a routine gas measurement flight conducted by GeoNet showed that emissions from the active vent had changed and contained more volcanic ash. The results, combined with satellite data, show “a general increase in sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the volcano” and “indicate that a new eruptive episode may be starting”, GeoNet said.
“The observations during the gas flight are the only signs of volcanic ash in the plume to date,” GeoNet officials said. “Ash emission has not been visually noted from our webcams, or via MetService’s analysis of satellite imagery.”
As of December 16, 2024, there have been no reports of any flight delays or cancellations in the area. However, the GNS Science’s Volcano Monitoring Group and National Geohazards Monitoring Centre will continue to closely monitor Whakaari/White Island for any changes in activity.