White Island activity not linked to Cook Strait quakes

White Island's crater lake. File photo / Chris Gorman

GNS scientists are confident a rise in activity at White Island isn't connected to this week's earthquakes in Cook Strait.

The volcano alert level at the Bay of Plenty island remains at level one but the aviation colour code has been raised to yellow.

Volcanologist Brad Scott says the changes are similar to what happened earlier this year and he suspects it follows on from that, not the recent Seddon earthquakes.

"This unrest at White Island's been going for over a year, and the Cook Strait earthquakes were three or four days ago," said Mr Scott. "So it's hard to make a connection."