Te Papa Atawhai issues warning regarding Koro Ruapehu

Koro Ruapehu sits currently at Volcanic Alert Level 1 indicating minor unrest.

The Department of Conservation is now moving to Risk Management Stage B in its response plan.

The risk management level change has been triggered by extremely low temperatures in Te Wai ā-Moe (Crater Lak. The concern is the potential for a small eruption on resumption of the normal heating cycle.

In most cases resumption of a normal heating cycle does not trigger an eruption, so advice from GNS is there is a low probability of an eruption. DOC is taking a precautionary approach.

In short, at this level in the plan, DOC will look to keep people out of the area where the risk is the greatest. This is the 1.5km radius area around Te Wai ā-Moe, where the risk of injury or fatality from eruption is greatest.

DOC has therefore put a ‘recommended do not enter’ advisory in place, and suspended concession activities in this zone. This does not impact ski area operations (as they are outside the radius area), but does impact some tourism businesses that run alpine guiding.