The shape of New Zealand’s islands and landscape as we see it nowadays are not static but in constant dynamic change. Volcanic activity of the region is still very high. There are six volcanic active zones on New Zealand’s territory, five of which located on the North Island. Annual amount of earthquakes is about 15000! Though most of them are minor and only about 250 earthquakes can be counted as significant.
I would like to present here few examples of recent volcanic activity in New Zealand. Nowadays most of New Zealand’s volcanoes are dormant but they are still very impressive.

Rangitoto – Youngest and Largest

Take Rangitoto for instance. It is a volcano-island located 20 minutes sail from Auckland piers. Rangitoto is the youngest and the biggest in Auckland Volcanic Field. Its eruption began about 700 years ago and continued for 200 years growing a whole island, and it is dormant ever since. Rangitoto is 260 meters high (853 feet) above sea level. Now it is covered with Pohutukawa forest. In late December – early January Pohutukawa trees blossom covering the whole island in beautiful red color. In Maori language “Rangitoto” means “Skies stained with blood” (which is only one of the versions) – and this is how people see it every Christmas. Island’s soil formation isn’t finished yet, and inflows of lava can be seen all over the island, volcanic rubble crackles under your feet almost anywhere you go. In certain places on the island lava caves-corridors are found, they were created when rivers of lava have shoaled. In sunny days the lava on Rangitoto gets heated a few degrees more than ordinary soil, making the temperature on the island a little higher than temperature in near Auckland. The amount of rainfall that Rangitoto receives each year is lower than Auckland’s. Nobody lives on the island nowadays; Maori say that it is a time bomb that can explode at any time. But many tourists visit Rangitoto each year, fascinated by the idea of being in the heart of volcano and magnificent views of the near islands and Auckland city.

Ruapehu – Active and Dangerous

Ruapehu is an active volcano located in one of the most beautiful national parks of New Zealand – Tongariro (North Island). Ruapehu is the highest mountain of the North Island (2795 meters or 9169 feet). It looks like truncated cone with two craters. These craters were created later as a result of later explosions. Its current status is described as “restless”. There is a high possibility of future volcanic activity of the mountain. Now the crater of Ruapehu forms a lake, and any even lightest eruption may result in lahar (a destructive mudflow on the slopes of volcano). Last significant lahar on Ruapehu occurred in 1953 destroying railway bridge, and killing 151 people who unluckily were on a train crossing that bridge at that exact time. Currently the water level in the Ruapehu Crater Lake rose to more than a meter from its previous level as a result of minor eruption on 4th October 2006 and now only 2.8 meters (9.2 feet) are separating between the water and crater rim. In order to prevent consequences from future lahars a complicated tracking system was built and all the bridges, roads and settlements were moved to safe distance from the volcano.

Volcanism – controversial phenomena

Volcanism is one of the most wonderful and impressive phenomena nature has to offer. Eruption may not only destroy cities and even continents but it also gives push to birth of new life, for example gave live to New Zealand (according to one theory). Theories exist claiming that volcanic processes contributed to the creation of our earth’s crust, atmosphere and hydrosphere. It is known for fact that volcanic areas have rich deposits of precious metals and minerals. Volcanoes made our Earth fertile, produced healing heat and hot springs in which people healed their illnesses. Volcanoes not just showed people terrible and frightening sights, but also encouraged humans to think and try to understand and explain the nature of volcanic activity. From such early efforts many legends about hell and other related subjects were born. Thanks to development of technology humans could descend into open volcano craters and gain an important knowledge, but at the same time more question aroused. The information that is hidden inside volcanoes is endless and I hope that they will reveal us more of their secrets and treasures in the future.

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