An image has surfaced on the internet, showing a group of tourists standing just next to a volcano on White Island, New Zealand.
The volcano erupted shortly after the photo was taken.
The people in the image couldn’t imagine how close they were to a disaster until it happened. The photo is a perfect reminder of the uncertainty of life.
So far, the authorities have confirmed that five people have died in the incident while another eight are still missing, most probably dead.
The image captured just ahead of the eruption was taken by a body known as GeoNet.
The agency monitors the geological activity and the related hazards in New Zealand and offers advice to the public regarding such hazards.
GeoNet maintains a system of cameras, seismometers, and spectrometers to keep an eye on the activity of geological hazards. The camera that captured this particular image is installed on the rim of the volcano.
The image was taken at 2:10 pm, local time. The volcano erupted literally on the heads of the unsuspecting tourists within a minute of capturing the photo.
The photos of the volcano taken after the incident show the crater empty while there is a thick layer of black ash all around it on the floor.
Geoff Kilgour, a volcanologist, said: “We are aware that people were on the island immediately before the eruption and we express our concern for their safety.
“Ash has covered the main crater floor, as seen in our webcam images.”
GeoNet has stopped publishing the photos from that camera since the eruption took place.
Search and rescue operations are going on at the site of eruption but according to aerial surveillance, there are ‘no signs of life’ on the island.
The volcanic eruption that happened at 2:11 pm local time consisted of two explosions. The eruption threw ash up to 3,600 meters into the atmosphere.
According to an estimate, there were a total of 47 people on the island at the time. The photo shows that a dozen or so unfortunate tourists were actually inside the crater at the time of the eruption.
Other people on or near the island included 38 persons from Royal Ovation of the Seas, a cruise ship that left Sydney earlier in December.
The cruise ship operator issued a statement, saying: “We can confirm that a number of our guests were touring the island today.
“We will offer all possible assistance to our guests and local authorities. Please keep all those affected in your prayers.”
Out of the ship’s passengers, 31 people are in hospital, receiving treatment for burns. Twenty-seven of them have serious burns covering over 30% of their bodies.
Not all of the patients, who range from 13 to 72 years old, are expected to survive the extensive burns.
“Not all of the (burns) patients will survive,” Dr. Pete Watson, a medical care provider from the Waikato and Middlemore Hospital, said.
“There’s many who have suffered inhalation injuries, damage to lungs, so they’re requiring airway support. At this stage, that’s the majority of the people who are in the hospitals.”
New Zealand Police is looking into the event as a criminal disaster. Scientists believe that there can be another eruption from the volcano in the next 24 hours.
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