No Current Emergencies

Get Ready

Disasters Happen! The good news is, it’s easy to make sure you, and the people and things you care about, are ready.

Get Ready Get Ready

Stay Informed!

There are many different ways you can stay informed about what is happening before, during and after an event. Find out more about how to stay informed and up to date.

Stay Informed Stay Informed

Ongoing activity- Whakaari White island

The volcanic alert level for Whakaari remains unchanged at Level 2 (moderate to heightened unrest).
 
Nobody is allowed on Whakaari.
The advice from the Bay of Plenty regional Council Harbourmaster is for boaties to avoid the waters around the island.
If the island were to erupt, the main potential effect on people and property on the mainland would be ashfall. There has been no ashfall in recent eruptions because they were too small and it depends on things like wind direction.
Whakaari is 48km from the coastline. It is rare for ash to travel more than a few kilometres from a volcano during an eruption. 
If ashfall DID reach the mainland, it would not be toxic to people or animals. However ashfall could irritate skin, eyes and lungs and be corrosive to some surfaces. 
For more information: 

https://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/whiteisland