Rotorua geothermal activity: Close watch as more ‘rumbling’ noted after ‘mud pot’ burst into life near homes

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t explode,” was the reaction of a Rotorua resident who says her house shook when a “mud pot” burst into life over the weekend.

Rotorua Lakes Council cordoned off an area of Meade St on Saturday following some renewed existing geothermal activity there, advising the public to stay away as a precaution.

In a statement on Monday, the council said it was “keeping a close watch” on the geothermal activity.

“A resident mentioned that there’s been more rumbling, so we’re regularly checking the heat and gas emissions near the site to be safe.

“As an added precaution, we’ve made adjustments to the fencing around the site and reminded everyone to avoid that area.”

The council had not issued any evacuation notices, it said.

The geothermal "mud pot" at Whakarewarewa on Monday. Photo / Andrew Warner

Genna Emery, who lives close to the Ngapuna Tokotoru Hauanu mud pools, said the geothermal activity caused her home to shake.

”Ever since then, the house has been shaking.”

She said she was asleep while the activity was at its peak. But shortly afterwards, she discovered her car covered in mud and “splatters of mud on the house.

“I keep thinking something else is going to happen [from the] little jolts because we are so close.”

Emery said she did not want the “ground to swallow us up”.

If the geothermal activity worsened, Emery said she and her children could stay with family.

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t explode,” she said.

Local Rotorua resident Genna Emery's car was covered in splatters of mud after geothermal activity yesterday morning.

GNS Science volcanologist Brad Scott said the geothermal activity was named a “mud pot” and the activity was due to the reactivation of an existing surface feature.

“This feature has been active before about four years ago. It was active for several months at that time. It was also active four to five years before then.”

He said the Rotorua geothermal system was “active” and “from time to time, the level of activity in a feature will change”.

Scott said the activity from the mud pot was controlled by the amount of steam coming from beneath it and local groundwater.

“There has been an increase in steam flow from depth that is mixing with the local groundwater to soften the clays on the pool and reform a pool of hydrothermal muds.”

He said pressures occur which could carry the mud into the air.

Scott said this type of activity was “well-known” to the area and has impacted on the “two or three nearest buildings in the past and may do again”.

GNS Science volcanologist Brad Scott pictured at "Spring 653" in central Rotorua. Photo / Alan Gibson

He said the primary hazard for residents was “hot mud that exploded out of the mud pools”.

Scott said the natural event could not be stopped and advised local residents to keep 10 to 20 metres away from where hot mud was landing.

Following the cordons being set up, Rotorua Lakes Council was also advised by Scott.

A geothermal feature erupted in Rotorua on Saturday morning. Photo / Ben Fraser

Toko Witika lives about 25m from the activity and was readying his family to leave.

“Glad I didn’t have any washing on the line, brother,” he told the Rotorua Daily Post on Saturday.

“I got up at 7am - I noticed the steam about 7.30am. Everything in our house was shaking. I just finished doing some baking, and the milk inside the fridge and everything was moving,” Witika said.

Rotorua Lakes Council is advising the public to stay away from the area as a precaution. Photo / Ben Fraser

“This morning it was misty mud, like water vapour, then before lunch, it started shooting out mud.”

Witika said he could also smell it in the house.

“Me and my partner were just talking about it - we will probably take the kids somewhere else. I don’t know if the fumes are bad, but we don’t want to be around here breathing in this air.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t get any worse.”

The area of activity was in the same location as a similar eruption in 2019 that forced the evacuation of a neighbouring property.