White Island 2019 eruption Flashcards
New Zealand Background information
Very highly developed nation: HDI of 0.937 ranking 14/187 (2019) with a life expectancy of 82.06 years (2019) and a GDP per capita of $42,796 (2019)
White island itself is a small uninhabited island in the Bay of Plenty 50 km offshore of North Island.
Date and Time
Date: December 9th 2019
Time: 2:11PM (local time)
Eruption information
Plates: Subduction of the Pacific plate under the Australian plate
Magnitude: 2 (VEI)
Duration: Roughly 2 minutes
Social impacts
22 killed
25 injured (most of which receiving severe burns covering >75% of their bodies)
Governance
Frequently erupts - Prior eruptions in 1975, 2000, 2012 and 2016 - The island should’ve been off limits to the public
7 rescue helicopters dispatched
26 mile no fly zone established
1-2 million cm³ of skin donated from the US to treat wounded
Summary
This event should’ve posed no threat and thus shouldn’t have become a disaster as the island was uninhabited as well as the fact that the areal extent of the eruption was far too small to harm anyone in the mainland of New Zealand. This shows how poor governance either from the national government for not restricting access to the island or from the tour company for disobeying restrictions can lead to a non hazardous tectonic event becoming a disaster.
