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New Zealand volcano erupts, one hurt

From correspondents in Wellington

September 26, 2007 11:46am

Article from: Agence France-Presse

SKI lodges were evacuated, highways briefly shut down and one man = badly=20 injured when a volcano in New Zealand erupted unexpectedly, spewing ash = and=20 rocks into the air.

The eruption at Mount Ruapehu, in the central North Island, started = at 8.23pm=20 yesterday (6.20 AEST) and lasted for seven minutes, vulcanologist Craig = Miller=20 said.

"It was just straight out of the blue,'' Mr Miller said on Radio New = Zealand.=20

No further activity was reported in the hours following the eruption, = which=20 was classified as small to moderate, but it remained unclear whether any = further=20 eruptions would occur, he said.

"It's certainly not escalating into anything bigger at this stage,'' = he said.=20

Auckland climber, William Pike, 22, was seriously injured when rocks = crashed=20 through the roof of a mountainside hut where he was staying, crushing = his=20 legs.

He was evacuated early today, officials said.

About 60 skiers staying in chalets on the mountain were evacuated for = a short=20 time last night, although many were apparently unaware the eruption had=20 occurred.

"We knew nothing about it. We never felt the earthquake, we didn't = hear=20 anything. We were completely oblivious,'' said Penny Brooking, who was = staying=20 at one of the chalets.

The eruption also briefly closed roads and suspended train services = along the=20 main line in the area. Ski slopes on the mountain remained closed = today.

Two lahars, or floods of volcanic ash and water, from Mount Ruapehu's = crater=20 lake flowed down the sides of the mountain during the eruption, but no=20 significant damage was reported.

A ring of dark ash surrounded the crater lake of the snow-covered = mountain=20 on Monday morning.

Vulcanologist Brad Scott said after flying over the volcano this = morning that=20 impacts caused by rocks and debris could be seen up to 1.5km from the = mountain's=20 crater.

No lava was produced in the eruption, he said, adding further = activity could=20 occur.

"Typically, you'll have two or three smaller events over the next few = days if=20 this plays out like 1975,'' he said on Radio New Zealand.

Mount Ruapehu, the highest mountain in the North Island at 2797m, has = been=20 the most active mainland New Zealand volcano in recent years, with = moderate=20 eruptions in 1975, 1995 and 1996 and a small eruption in October last = year.

A lahar on December 24, 1953 collapsed a rail bridge, causing 151 = deaths when=20 a passenger train plunged into the swollen Whangaehu River near the = mountain.=20

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