E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Stefan Keller / Reuters
A massive plume of ash billows up into the sky as Mount Tongariro erupts in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand on November 21, 2012. The volcano previously erupted in August this year, the first time in more than a century.
The Associated Press reports — A New Zealand volcano erupted with a brief blast of dark ash Wednesday, canceling flights but causing no significant damage. Schoolchildren and dozens of other hikers who were walking on trails along the mountain's base were safe.
The eruption of Mount Tongariro, its second in less than four months, sent a dark ash plume about 1.9 miles into the sky. Authorities issued a no-fly alert above the mountain located in the sparsely populated area of central North Island.
Tongariro National Park, which has three active volcanoes, was the backdrop for many scenes in "The Lord of the Rings" movies. Read the full story.
•Sign up for the NBCNews.com Photos Newsletter
Park visitors were evacuated and flights were cancelled near New Zealand's Mount Tongariro after the volcano erupted without warning. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Leave a Comment:
Wow. Lots of Lord of the Rings jokes (expected). Nobody noticed "schoolchildren and dozens of other hikers who were walking on trails along the mountain's base" as cause for concern? Are you kidding? Who takes schoolchildren near an active volcano?? It just erupted less than 4 months ago. I would not sign that permission slip for my child.
BigWaveDave69 cares about the school children. I bet you do BigWaveDave69
I guess BigWaveDave has never been to Volcano National Park on the big island. School children watch lava flow into the sea from 100' away there.
coming agein juses is coming agein
He can't be having THAT many orgasms! Unless he's hanging out with Justin Bieber again.
All live volcanoes will probably erupt its a question of when and how big is the eruption.
gollum sorry. hehehe him ate chili last night hehehe gollum sad hehehe ring melt mmmm yes it did heheh mmmm you got paper heheh mmmmm
Once again, you lame brains. GEORGE BUSH DID IT. Aa.
Is politics what you all live for?
Seems fitting, since the Forces of Mordor are gathering (on the borders of Gaza)
Volcanic Gas Studies
Fume clouds from volcanoes also contain water droplets in which acid gases
have dissolved. Most of these droplets eventually fall to earth as acid rain,
but while they remain in the atmosphere, they can also cause corrosion of
aircraft surface materials and engines. Utility lines, communications equipment,
farm machinery, vehicles, and other metal objects corrode when exposed to
volcanic gases or acid rain. Persistent acid rain causes galvanized nails or
lead solder in water catchment systems to deteriorate and release toxic metals
into drinking water. Hydrogen fluoride gas emitted from a volcano can attach
itself to ash particles. When these particles fall to earth, chronic and fatal
fluorosis can follow when grazing animals eat contaminated forage.
The ring has been destroyed!