[News] Volcanic eruption on White Island

[Bozza]

Tragic events in New Zealand, obviously, but I find myself somewhat puzzled by this sentence in today's BBC piece on it:

Since the eruption, experts are arguing whether the tours to the island were a disaster waiting to happen or still safe enough for visitors.​

How can anyone, expert or otherwise, argue that it was "safe enough for visitors" when this minor eruption occurred, causing five to lose their lives, eight to be missing (presumed dead) and many others suffering burns so severe they may also not survive.

 

[RossyG]

Yes, the question was tragically answered yesterday.

Personally, I wouldn’t go anywhere near a volcano. I’ve been scared of them ever since learning about Pompeii at primary school. An accompanying school’s programme, with screaming sound effects and crash zooms into those plaster casts of the dead, gave me nightmares.

It’s not so much the lava you need to worry about, it’s the pyroclastic surge. You can’t outrun it and if you’re in it you die horribly.

I suppose if adults choose to go near a volcano that’s their choice, but I’d ban anyone under 18, possibly 21, from going (or being taken by parents) to such a dangerous place.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Tragic events in New Zealand, obviously, but I find myself somewhat puzzled by this sentence in today's BBC piece on it:

Since the eruption, experts are arguing whether the tours to the island were a disaster waiting to happen or still safe enough for visitors.​

How can anyone, expert or otherwise, argue that it was "safe enough for visitors" when this minor eruption occurred, causing five to lose their lives, eight to be missing (presumed dead) and many others suffering burns so severe they may also not survive.

Aren't there tourist trips to most (or a lot of) active volcanoes ? I'm pretty certain there are trips to Etna by cable car and bus. I guess there is an element of the danger that actually attracts people.

Not for me.

*edit*

Apparently there's 13 at least, and I suspect a lot more

https://www.rd.com/advice/travel/active-volcanoes-you-can-visit/

 

[Jim D]

Aren't there tourist trips to most (or a lot of) active volcanoes ? I'm pretty certain there are trips to Etna. I guess there is an element of the danger that actually attracts people.

Not for me.

Is Kilimanjaro active? Thousands go there every year.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Is Kilimanjaro active? Thousands go there every year.

I've been there, so if it is active, no bugger told me

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Aren't there tourist trips to most (or a lot of) active volcanoes ? I'm pretty certain there are trips to Etna by cable car and bus. I guess there is an element of the danger that actually attracts people.

Not for me.

*edit*

Apparently there's 13 at least, and I suspect a lot more

https://www.rd.com/advice/travel/active-volcanoes-you-can-visit/

Yes, when we went to Sicily we visited both Etna and the island of Volcano. Etna is of course far more active. We didn't go into the crater of either though!

 

[mune ni kamome]

Most cruise ships stop for a while at Stromboli when in the Mediterranean which conveniently erupts a little lava every hour or so. Spectacular though it is, especially at night, you can’t help but feel slightly nervous looking up at the red hot stuff flowing down with the rumbles and smoke around

 

[Gazwag]

Everybody knows Yellowstone will erupt one day, in November there were 107 earthquakes yet 4 million go there every year

 

[RossyG]

I bloody wouldn’t.

 

[beorhthelm]

there hadnt been an eruption since 2001 apparently. so the question being asked is, was there enough monitoring of the volcano to predict a eruption and cancel tours. if you had asked the question last week "is it safe" the answer was probably yes, unless some experts are going to say they were giving warnings etc.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I'm sure they stand by their safety record

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUoT5AxFpRs

 

[schmunk]

the island of Volcano.

Well, I've learned something today - thanks!





(it's Vulcano, according to Wiki, but you pointed me in the right direction)

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Well, I've learned something today - thanks!





(it's Vulcano, according to Wiki, but you pointed me in the right direction)

I failed to check the spelling. The main attraction is hot mud pools you can sit in - it's apparently good for the skin. All it did was give me the shits for 2 days afterwards

 

[Notters]

Tenerife (and the other canaries) is one big active volcano and is due a major eruption so those saying they don't go to volcanos presumably don't go there?

With regard to the op it's all about statistics but perhaps seems distasteful so soon after tragedy.

 

[shingle]

I was at Mt Bromo in Indonesia in March when it blew, loads of ash clouds and plumes and the park rangers prevented anyone from trying to hike up to the rim. Usually tourists just arrive in the early hours, hike up to rim and then move on to other areas on Java, however when i was there this happened and made all the local news. What a muppet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJU2x45rLwo

 

[RossyG]

I’d have let him go.

 

[bhafc99]

I did NZ's Tongariro Crossing one day in 1996. The next day I was walking nearby, looked up and witnessed one of Ruapehu's explosions – gutted to this day that I didn't have a camera with me.

I've also been to the top of Mt Yasur in Vanuatu, which is permanently active and was pretty scary/awe-inspiring in equal measure. This captures the experience perfectly:

This

 

[sydney]

Etna , Teide , Augung all volcanoes visited by thousands of tourists every year ......base jumping , big wave surfing , mountaineering ....not everyone is a couch potato.

 

[RossyG]

Pick the wrong day and you’ll be a baked potato.

 

[Paskman]

That's no argument, some volcanoes are far more dangerous than others. Putting yourself and rescuers at risk to tick a bucket list is thoughtless to say the least.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk