WHAT IS HAPPENING AT WHITE ISLAND VOLCANO??? New Zealand/Kermadec & South Pacific QUAKE/VOLCANO WATCH

Aug 14 2012, 6:30 am - White Island Volcano
Volcanic Alert Bulletin WI-2012/11 - Update and volcanic ashfall prediction; Volcanic Alert is at Level 2; Aviation Colour Code is Yellow

Volcanic and seismic activity at White Island has remained low overnight.

An ash and steam plume has been commonly rising to only a few hundred metres above the island.

Visitors to White Island are now at the highest level of risk since the end of the 2001 eruptions. Additional hazards to visitors to the island now include the health effects of volcanic ash and acid gas exposure, including respiratory issues, skin and eye sensitivity to acid gases. Explosive eruptions can occur at any time with little or no warning. We advise a high level of caution should be taken, if visiting the island.

Attached to this bulletin is an ashfall prediction should significant ash start again.

We continue to monitor the volcano and will issue further updates as more information becomes available.

Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2
Aviation Colour Code remains Yellow

Steven Sherburn
Duty Volcanologist

[link to www.geonet.org.nz]

Aug 14 2012, 6:30 am - Tongariro Volcano
Volcanic Alert Bulletin TON-2012/19 - Update and volcanic ashfall prediction; Volcanic Alert is at Level 2; Aviation Colour Code is Yellow

Seismic activity at Tongariro remained low overnight. Poor weather has prevented any views of Tongariro since Saturday, but volcanic activity is thought to also have been low.

The weather today is likely to prevent any fieldwork at Tongariro. Once the weather improves additional gas sampling flights and surface gas sampling will be attempted. Data will also be collected from portable seismographs on Tongariro.

An ashfall prediction plot is attached to this bulletin should a future eruption occur.

Volcanic Alert Level remains at level 2
Aviation Colour Code remains Yellow

Steven Sherburn
Duty Volcanologist

[link to www.geonet.org.nz]

Kermadec Arc and Havre Trough

Brothers volcano -1350 -4400 - -
Clark (volcano) -860 -2800 36.446°S 177.839°E -
Cole (volcano) - - - -
Cotton (volcano) -950 -3100 35.05°S 178.99°E -
Curtis Island 137 449 30.542°S 178.561°E -
Gamble (volcano) - - - -
Giggenbach (volcano) -65 -210 30.036°S 178.712°E -
Healy (volcano) -1150 -3800 34.98°S 179.00°E 1360
Hinepuia (volcano) - - - -
Hinetapeka (volcano) - - - -
Macauley Island 238 781 30.20°S 178.47°E Holocene
Monowai Seamount -100 -330 25.887°S 177.188°E 2008
Putoto (volcano) - - - -
Rakahore (volcano) - - - -
Rumble I -1100 -3610 35.5°S 178.9°E -
Rumble II -880 -2890 35.4°S 178.6°E -
Rumble III -140 -459 35.745°S 178.478°E 1986
Rumble IV -450 -1476 36.13°S 178.05°E -
Rumble V -1100 -3610 36.139°S 178.197°E -
Raoul Island 516 1693 29.27°S 177.92°E 2006
Silent I[1] - - - -
Silent II[1] - - - -
Tangaroa (volcano) -600 -2000 36.321°S 178.028°E -
Volcano W -900 -3000 31.85°S 179.18°E -
Wright (volcano) -750 -2500 31.5°S 179.2°E

[link to en.wikipedia.org]

Undersea eruption caught on satellite

A huge pumice raft spewed up by an undersea New Zealand volcano has been captured by a Nasa satellite.

It reveals that when it erupted on July 19 it even sent up a plume of ash that went unnoticed.

The first sign of it came last week when a Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion patrol spotted the pumice and re-rerouted multi-purpose warship HMNZS Canterbury to the scene, south of the Kermadec Islands, last Friday.

They found thick pumice for as far as the eye could see.

After reading the report, Nasa searched their database of satellite shots - coming up with these.

Scientists from Tahiti and New Zealand's GNS Science connected the eruption with a cluster of earthquakes in the Kermadec Islands on July 17 and 18.

Working independently of GNS, vulcanologist Erik Klemetti and Nasa visualiser Robert Simmon examined a month's worth of satellite imagery from Nasa's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer.

They discovered the first signs of the eruption - ash-stained water, gray pumice, and a volcanic plume - in imagery from 9.50 am and 2.10 pm on July 19.

"Hidden by clouds in the morning image, the site of the eruption is clearly visible in the afternoon image," Nasa says.

They then identified the likely source of the eruption as the Havre Seamount.

The eruption was strong enough to breach the ocean surface from a depth of 1100 metres.

By July 21, the eruption appeared to have waned, leaving behind the dense rafts of pumice.

[link to www.stuff.co.nz]

lots of quakes again today, like yesterday

after a few days of very few listed

perhaps building up for something now..

hmmm...

3.7 17:46:03 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.6 15:06:41 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.9 14:47:18 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.8 14:17:09 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.2 14:07:15 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 150.2827 km

4.7 14:06:31 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.5 13:47:44 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.9 12:45:05 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

4.2 11:28:05 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.7 11:27:49 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

4.1 11:15:37 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.5 11:03:44 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.4 08:47:03 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.9 08:25:57 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.2 07:26:09 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 25.3945 km

3.2 06:37:07 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 90.8606 km

3.4 05:37:11 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 195.9391 km

3.1 05:27:06 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 12.0 km

3.8 04:07:50 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

3.9 01:52:14 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 26.4103 km

3.5 00:47:41 Tue 14 Aug 2012 Depth: 33.0 km

map to see quake locations
[link to quakemap.co.nz]

Hiya T! and everyone!
Don't know if you follow this site (You should be writing for them!) Found this looking for something else Just wanted to pass it along. Stay Safe!

The eruptive activity we reported on yesterday at Tungurahua volcano (Ecuador) has “ramped-up” into a moderate (so far!) sized eruption. The activity is large enough to be visible on satellite imagery. (station RETU)
[link to earthquake-report.com]

hiya AK

thank you xx

yeah i used to check that site all the time but forgot about it

i will start using it again

Thread: F.O.G. (Page 404)

62: Tofua volcano erupts, sending ash cloud 3,000 feet above Tonga Islands?

[link to theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com]
map of area

August 14, 2012 – TONGA - A “new” volcano just entered the watch list: Out in the Pacific, a pilot observed an ash cloud rising from Tofua volcano to 3,000 ft (ca. 1 km) in the Tonga Islands at 04:42 GMT, VAAC Wellington reports. The volcano last erupted in 2009. –Volcano Discovery. Historical background: Tofua Caldera, in Tonga, is the summit caldera of a steep-sided composite cone that forms Tofua Island. Tofua Island is in Tonga’s Ha’apai island group. Pre-caldera activity is recorded by a sequence of pyroclastic deposits and lavas constituting the older cone, followed on the northern part of the island by froth lavas or welded and unwelded ignimbrite. Following caldera collapse, lavas were erupted from the northern part of the island and the caldera-rim fissure zone, scoria and lavas from the caldera-wall fissure zones, pyroclastics and lavas from intracaldera cones, and recent pyroclastic fall deposits on the outer cone. Eruptive products are mainly basaltic andesites and andesites, plus occasional dacite flows within the older cone. A post-caldera cone with fumarolic activity (Lofia) is situated in the northern part of the caldera; a crater lake with 500 m (1,600 ft) depth occupies most of the remainder. Most historical eruptions have been small explosions from Lofia cone along the northern caldera rim. The eruptions of 1958-59 caused most of the islanders to evacuate for a year or more. –Wikipedia

Volcano eruption awaits additional confirmation and may have been brush fire: Matangi

The Watchers have an awesome article about the havre eruption..

with these outstanding images:

Google Earth Bathmetry of the Kermadec Island area, showing the location of Havre Seamount, the potential source of the pumice raft spotted off New Zealand on August 10, 2012.

The location for the eruption that produced the pumice raft first sighted on August 10, 2012. This is a Terra image taken July 18, 2012 (courtesy of NASA) overlain on the Global Volcanism Program’s Volcanoes of the World Google Earth layer. The inset map in the upper left is modified from Smith and Price (2006), Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. Havre is circled on the inset map and the plume is circled on the Terra image.

An Aqua image taken on the afternoon of July 18, 2012. The plume and pumice from the eruption of Havre seamount is clear, along with discolored water from the eruption. Courtesy of the NASA Earth Observatory.

Terra image taken on the morning of July 19, 2012, showing the much more subdued eruption from Havre. The plume, if visible, is much smaller and centered over the vent. Courtesy of the NASA Earth Observatory.

The following image is a night scene collected on July 18, 2012 at 10H50Z (MODIS band 22: 3.959µm) by MODIS satellite. The image shows a thermal hot spot related to the recent submarine eruption and a cold eruptive plume drifting towards the NW from the hot spots.

Brightness temperature image from MODIS band 20 (3.75µm). 18 July 2012 at 21H50Z

[link to thewatchers.adorraeli.com]

new active volcano identified as most likely source of huge pumice raft discovered in south pacific

We reported last week that huge pumice raft was discovered in South Pacific, north of New Zealand, and today we might have the answer of what caused it. Small volcanic rocks or pumice covered the area of 250 nautical miles (463km) in length and 30 nautical miles (55km) wide. Pumice is typically created when super-heated, highly pressurized rock is violently ejected from a volcano. Alternatively it can be formed when lava and water are mixed. Most pumice is light enough to float on water.

Though the pumice was spread over a vast area of the South Pacific, the origin was a mystery. An undersea volcano several hundred kilometers to the north of the pumice—Monowai—had erupted on August 3, but an airline pilot reported seeing pumice as early as August 1. Two data sources provided clues to pinpoint the volcano: earthquake records and satellite imagery. After reports of the pumice rafts surfaced, scientists from Tahiti and New Zealand’s GNS Science connected the eruption with a cluster of earthquakes in the Kermadec Islands on July 17 and 18.

Working independently of GNS, volcanologist Erik Klemetti (Eruptions Blog) and NASA visualizer Robert Simmon examined a month’s worth of satellite imagery from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). They discovered the first signs of the eruption—ash-stained water, gray pumice, and a volcanic plume—in imagery from 9:50 a.m. and 2:10 p.m. (local time) on July 19, 2012.

Klemetti matched the satellite imagery with ocean floor bathymetry to identify Havre Seamount as the likely source. The eruption was strong enough to breach the ocean surface from a depth of 1,100 meters (3,600 feet). On his blog he writes:

The hard part was trying to identify a source. I took the georeferenced Terra image and overlaid it on Google Earth to find the location relative to Macauley and W and then checked out the bathmetry … and lo and behold, the source of the plume seems to be a U-shaped edifice. This edifice had no label in the Global Volcanism Program Google Earth layer, but after finding a map of the Kermadec Islands, it appears that this is Havre seamount (near Havre Rock), a volcano that we don’t know very much about at all. In fact, Havre doesn’t even have an entry in the GVP database or really any information about it – heck, it doesn’t even show up on many maps of the active Kermadec volcanoes.

The GNS Science press release (which came out after we have convinced ourselves of the location/timing of the initial eruption) on the activity in the Kermadec Islands appears to back up this conclusion based on work done by Alain Bernard at the Laboratoire de Volcanologie. Their approximate latitude/longitude of the eruption matching up with the location of Havre and the plume spotted on the Terra/Aqua images (see above and below), however they don’t specifically identify Havre. GNS Science volcanologist Brad Scott noted:

A short seismic swarm with hydroacoustic and seismic phases on the Polynesian Network on July 17 and 18. The earthquake swarm began on 17 July, 0732h UTC and ended on 18 July, 14:05 with more than 157 events, with magnitude between 3.0 and 4.8., probably earthquakes associated with the rise of magma in the eruptive edifice.

thank you barcaroller, you rock

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Volcano / Earthquake Watch Aug 17-21, 2012

[link to www.youtube.com]

Published on Aug 15, 2012 by thebarcaroller
Targeting Coronal Hole (CH529) situated in the southern hemisphere of the solar corona. After analysis i have isolated (15-19°S latitude), this feature may produce a possible 7.2 Magnitude earthquake in one of these listed locations during this watch period:

Tarapaca-Chile, Potosi-Bolivia, Vanuatu, Fiji or Tonga
Time Frame suggests Aug 17-19

Deep earthquake Sea Of Okhotsk August 14th should produce further migrations of earthquakes in the coming days, past tracking may indicate areas at risk for a possible 6.5 magnitude earthquake:

Macquarie Islands Region, Auckland Islands Region or the Alpine Fault South Island Of New Zealand
Planetary Alignment / Earthquake Watch 23rd August 2012
[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]

Updates and annotations will be added to the youtube video and description box.

Sulphur smell across lower North Island

[link to www.stuff.co.nz]

The smell of sulphur from Mt Tongariro has crept back to the lower North Island, with some residents complaining about irritation to their skin and eyes.

The smell has become common since the volcano erupted at 11.50pm on August 6 with residents as far as Blenheim noticing it.

The Horizon Regional Council today received "multiple complaints" about the smell being back and some residents said the sulphur had become an irritant.

Council emergency manager Shane Bayley said the smell was the result of wind drift from the mountain and was not a cause for concern.

"Our air quality monitoring sites in Taumarunui and Taihape are not showing any elevated presence of fine air particles.

"However, our team will be keeping an eye on the situation and will alert the public if this situation changes."

If the sulphur was affecting people's respiratory system, eyes or skin, MidCentral Health recommended people stay indoors with all the doors and windows closed, a council spokeswoman said.

Mt Tongariro has kept quiet in the past week, and seismic activity was low overnight.

But GNS vulcanologist Brad Scott said the volcano was degassing, producing a lot of gas and steam.

"It's putting out about 2000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide and 4000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day. That's what people are detecting and smelling."

Scott said there were three possible scenarios for the volcano, with the most likely being no further eruptions in the next week.

The second most-likely scenario was that there may be a similar eruption to what occurred on August 6.

Scott said the least-likely scenario was that a larger eruption would occur.

Emergency services, DOC, Civil Defence, New Zealand Transport Agency and district health boards met on Friday to discuss an evacuation plan should the volcano erupt again.

Families living closest to Mt Tongariro have an action plan to refer to.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson and Taupo MP Louise Upton met with iwi, the community and tourism industry leaders at Tongariro National Park today.

Tongariro 'wasn't just a shallow explosion'

[link to www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz]

Scientists now have a better picture of what caused last week's Mt Tongariro eruption which sprinkled ash over Hawke's Bay and closed the airport for 24 hours.
Volcanologist Steve Sherburn of GNS Science said there was continuous monitoring of the volcano since the eruption and scientists were positive they could predict what could happen from week to week.

He said scientists had been able to analyse ash and gas samples and had also flown over the mountain to look at what happened.

Mr Sherburn said it had been established that the rocks thrown from the volcano last Monday were not from fresh magma, and were probably lava flows from when Mt Tongariro last erupted in the 1890s.

He said scientists knew the eruption was not just a hydro-thermal eruption as first thought.

"It wasn't just a shallow explosion, there was definitely magma gas released and that's why we're saying it was a phreatic eruption, driven by volcanic gas pressure," he said.

"Since the eruption, we've mostly seen steam and very minor amounts of ash come from the mountain."

He said it was still difficult to say what would happen with the mountain in the future.

"We can only look at things on a week-by-week basis," he said.

"At this stage, we can probably say that if anything was to happen this week it would be small-scale eruptions, like last week. Other than that we cannot predict what would happen."

He said White Island remained an active area but the volcano had not been active for the past 10 years. He said scientists were still trying to work out if the recent activity was the start of an "episode of activity".

"Times between active periods could be weeks or months but it is really difficult for us to see at the moment where this is heading."

Community ready for Tongariro

[link to www.stuff.co.nz]

Scientists have developed three possible eruption scenarios for Mt Tongariro, while locals have formed an evacuation plan should disaster strike.

The most likely scenario for the next seven days is that there will be no further eruptions, GNS volcanologist Steven Sherburn said in a statement this afternoon.

The second most-likely scenario was that another eruption similar to what occurred on August 6 would follow, and the least-likely scenario was that a larger eruption would occur.

If Mt Tongariro's Te Maari crater rumbles into life again, then the families living closest to it have an action plan to refer to, Taupo Civil Defence emergency manager Phil Parker said.

About 46 people live closest to the volcano, on State Highway 46. The families, which have since returned to their homes after leaving them last Monday night, would alert Parker and the Department of Conservation should the volcano erupt, or show signs that it may do so.

They have designated one of their own to co-ordinate the community response should they face an emergency, Parker said.

"They make that call initially because until we get down there and see the magnitude of it, it's community helping community."

They would evacuate to Hirangi Marae in Turangi if it was needed.

Emergency services, DOC, Civil Defence, New Zealand Transport Agency and district health boards met on Friday to discuss the plan. They would meet again tomorrow to update the situation, Parker said.

Road signs warning people of a volcanic hazard were erected along SH 46 in the weekend, but many seem to be ignoring the warnings as they stop to take photos, Parker said.

The volcano could erupt without warning so motorists were urged to continue driving rather than stopping to get a picture, he said.

Seismic activity underneath Tongariro and White Island, off the coast of Whakatane, has calmed in recent days, Sherburn said. The assessment of the most-likely scenarios was only valid for the next seven days and could be adjusted if things changed.

There were reports in the weekend that lahars had crossed the northern foot of Tongariro, but there had been no sightings since. There were some concerns that debris from the eruption, which was blocking two small streams, could produce larger lahars and GNS would be assessing the likelihood of this, Sherburn said.

People located south of Tongariro also reported smelling Hydrogen Sulphide gas over the weekend, which could produce some breathing difficulties.

Further tests have added weight to the theory that last week's eruption was predominantly gas-driven, but the involvement of magma in the future could not be ruled out.

Meanwhile, a plume of ash and steam continues to envelope White Island, but GNS has reduced its warning for pilots.

Visitors to New Zealand's largest and most active volcano were still at the highest level of risk since the 2001 eruptions.

Aug 16 2012, 7:00 am - White Island Volcano
Volcanic Alert Bulletin WI-2012/13 - Update and volcanic ashfall prediction; Volcanic Alert is at Level 2; Aviation Colour Code is Yellow

Volcanic and seismic activity at White Island has remained low overnight.

A minor steam plume is visible via a camera on the island. No ash is apparent.

Visitors to White Island are now at the highest level of risk since the end of the 2001 eruptions. Additional hazards to visitors to the island now include the health effects of volcanic ash and acid gas exposure, including respiratory issues, skin and eye sensitivity to acid gases. Explosive eruptions can occur at any time with little or no warning. We advise a high level of caution should be taken, if visiting the island.

Attached to this bulletin is an ashfall prediction should significant ash start again.

We continue to monitor the volcano and will issue further updates as more information becomes available.

Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2
Aviation Colour Code remains Yellow

Steven Sherburn
Duty Volcanologist

[link to www.geonet.org.nz]

Aug 16 2012, 7:10 am - Tongariro Volcano
Volcanic Alert Bulletin TON-2012/21 - Update and volcanic ashfall prediction; Volcanic Alert is at Level 2; Aviation Colour Code is Yellow

Seismic activity at Tongariro remained low overnight. Poor weather continues to prevent any views of the mountain, but volcanic activity is thought to also have been low.

Yesterday several reports describing gas smells were received, particularly from the Manawatu region. This is attributed to passive degassing of magma beneath the surface of Tongariro following last weeks eruption. This is a common observation at volcanoes.

The weather today is likely to prevent any fieldwork at Tongariro. Once the weather improves additional gas sampling flights and surface gas sampling will be attempted. Data will also be collected from portable seismographs on Tongariro.

An ashfall prediction plot is attached to this bulletin should a future eruption occur.

Volcanic Alert Level remains at level 2
Aviation Colour Code remains Yellow

Steven Sherburn
Duty Volcanologist

[link to www.geonet.org.nz]

'High level of risk' for White Island tourists - GNS

[link to tvnz.co.nz]

video: White Island volcanic eruption

Thread: Significant Earthquake Precursor Signal Detected at 1746utc/1346est. Possible 6+. 15min to 6hr before Quake Strikes. Possible Coordinates Inside

Monowai Seamount - John Seach

[link to www.volcanolive.com]

Kermadec Islands, New Zealand

25.88 S, 177.18 E
summit elevation -135 m
submarine volcano

Monowai seamount is located halfway between Tonga and the Kermadec Islands. The submarine volcano is one of the most active in the Kermadec arc. Acoustic T-wave earthquake swarms are recorded every few years at the volcano.

2012 Eruption
Eruptions began at Monowai volcano on 3rd August 2012. This eruption was not responsible for the large pumice raft which was detected 85 nautical miles SW of Raoul Island on 1st August 2012.

2009 Activity
Activity was recorded at Monowai volcano in early and mid-May, early July, mid-September, late October, mid-November, late November to early December and mid-December. On 28th October discoloured water was observed at the volcano during a flyover.

2007 Earthquake
A major earthquake (mag 7.8) hit 33 km west of the seamount on 9th December 2007 at 07:28 pm. The earthquake focus was 149 km depth. No tsunami was generated.

2002 Activity
A long duration (6-8 minute) swarm was recorded on 24 May 2002. Volcanic eruptions have created landslides which increased the summit depth from -65 m in 1998 to the present depth of -135 m.
Monowai Seamount Eruptions

2012, 2009, 2005, 2003, 2002, 1997-98, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1990-91, 1988, 1986, 1982, 1980, 1977, 1977-79, 1944?

Tofua volcano (Tonga Islands) false eruption report: fire smoke mistaken for ash cloud

Tuesday, Aug 14, 2012
Yesterday's report of a possible eruption turned out to have been cause by fires on the island by locals during a wild boar chase. [more]
Tofua volcano (Tonga Islands) activity update: new eruption reported 13 Aug - ash cloud rising 1 km

Monday, Aug 13, 2012
A pilot observed an ash cloud rising from Tofua volcano to 3,000 ft (ca. 1 km) in the Tonga Islands today at 04:42 GMT, VAAC Wellington reports.

Tofua volcano
caldera 515 m / 1,690 ft
Tonga Islands, -19.75°S / -175.07°W
Tofua volcano eruptions:
2006-09, 2004, 1958, 1906, 1889, 1885, 1854, 1792, 1774
Typical eruption style:
explosive

caldera 515 m / 1,690 ft
Tonga Islands, -19.75°S / -175.07°W
Current status: dormant (1 out of 5)


Tofua volcano is the subaerial part of a large frequently active stratovolcano. It forms the 8 km wide circular Tofua Island, dominated by the 5 km wide caldera containing a freshwater lake at only 30 m above sea level and surrounded by steep 300 m cliffs.
The island is know for Captain Bligh who was stranded there during the famous Bounty Mutiny 1789. The first historical eruption of Tofua was observed by Captain Cook in 1774.
Background:
The easternmost cone has three craters and produced young basaltic-andesite lava flows, some of which traveled into the caldera lake. The largest and northernmost of the cones, Lofia, has a steep-sided crater that is 70 m wide and 120 m deep and has been the source of historical eruptions, first reported in the 18th century. The fumarolically active crater of Lofia has a flat floor formed by a ponded lava flow. (Smithsonian / GVP volcano information)

[link to ww2.volcanodiscovery.com]
cool aerial photo

[link to www.volcanodiscovery.com]

Tonga boar chase prompts volcano eruption warning

Updated Thu Aug 16, 2012 2:10pm AEST



Map: Tonga
The New Zealand Meteorological Service has reportedly mistaken a wild boar chase in Tonga for a volcanic eruption.

A group of Kava growers on Tonga's volcanic island of Tofua say they set fire to scrub to chase out a pig.

One of the islanders, Paloni Ta'ufo'ou, told Matangi Tonga news that a whale watching boat offshore may have spotted the smoke.

"We saw a whale watching boat off the island so perhaps they thought the smoke was an eruption," Paloni told the website.

A pilot flying nearby also reported an "apparent ash cloud", prompting volcanic activity advisories from the weather service and the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.

Virgin Australia reportedly cancelled an Auckland-Tonga flight in response to the warning.

Geologists and meteorologists in Tonga say they were not aware of any new eruption at Tofua.
[link to www.abc.net.au]

hiya luis

lols, this is quite funny...

Any updates on this from the Southern Hemisphere crowd?