Whakaari/White Island: Steam, gas and ash from volcano spotted

The view of the active vent area on Whakaari/White Island producing moderate steam and gas emission on October 19. Photo / Supplied

Steam, gas and ash can be seen emitting from Whakaari/White Island today.

The volcanic alert level remains at level two, which is mostly associated with volcanic unrest hazards including discharge of steam and hot volcanic gases, earthquakes, landslides and hydrothermal activity, a GNS Science media release says.

However, the potential for eruption hazards also exists and eruptions could still occur with little or no warning.

GNS Science volcanologists observed a "moderate gas and steam plume" emitting from several sources behind the crater lake during a routine observation flight on October 19.

The temperature of the gas and steam plume was measured at 145C, down slightly from 165C on October 5.

Minor, passive ash emissions were still occurring intermittently from an active vent and had been observed occasionally in satellite imagery. Deposits from minor ash emissions were confined to the inner crater walls.

The volcanic alert level remains at level two (moderate to heightened unrest) and the aviation colour code remains at yellow, acknowledging the current level of activity but also the greater level of uncertainty in its interpretation due to the lack of consistent, useful real-time data.

GNS had increased the frequency of its gas and observation flights to the island until it could service its on-island equipment and power supplies, as the weather allowed.

It had intermittent access to webcam images from the island, providing some level of visual monitoring between flights.

GNS Science continued to monitor Whakaari/White Island for further changes in unrest.