Mount Ruapehu's ash and lahars, and ways to reduce risk

Mount Ruapehu erupted in 1995. Photo/ supplied

Ruapehu is an active volcano that flares up and down - and the risk it poses to Whanganui is the subject of a talk this month.

The talk is titled When Ruapehu Rumbles, and the speaker will be Massey University emeritus earth sciences professor Vince Neall. He's a leading New Zealand expert on volcanoes and is also skilled at interpreting and explaining science.

He speaks in Whanganui's Davis Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm on February 27, invited by the Whanganui Science Forum. The cost is $4 for forum members and $5 for non-members.

Emeritus professor Vince Neall is an expert on volcanoes. Photo/ supplied

Professor Neall will cover the possible effects of volcanic ash on the district, and of lahars gushing down local rivers. He has a special interest in ways to mitigate the effects of volcanic activity on valuable infrastructure.

Locally he has led groups of students in making volcanic hazard maps for both Taranaki and Ruapehu. He's also worked in Antarctica, the United States, Fiji and Vanuatu and given hundreds of public talks.

In 1997 Professor Neall was awarded a New Zealand Science and Technology Medal for his contribution to the Earth Sciences, and in 2013 he was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.