THURSDAY NIGHT'S SPECTACULAR DISPLAY.

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1949, Page 5

THURSDAY NIGHT'S SPECTACULAR DISPLAY.

Press Association /

(Per

RAETIHI, Feb. 11. From 11 o'clock last nigbt to b o'clock this morning, Ngauruhoe was in brilliant and almost continual eruption. After a fairly quiet day yesterday, a neavy explosion about 7 p.m. heralded a night of aetivity greater and more spectacular than any previous display. Tfie climax was reached between 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock this morning when foi two hours the mountain threw an uninterrupted shower of white hot rock tc heights between 1000 and 2000 feet while molten scoria flowed freely down both the northern and southern proflles. An outstanding feature • of last night 's display, compared with the previous night and Wednesday, was tiie eomplete absence of earth tremors ex-

. cept for half an hour at the start. There was little smoke 'and the concussion following each shot was eomparatively light, but the fierceness of tixt flame and apparent foree behind the ex ploisons seemed greater than ever. With a "clear sky, the mountain was visible for 40 miles showing up in the sky like a giant forge. From 1 1 o'clock the northern profile gradualiy became outlined with the glow from fj.ii increasing molten scoria streak which by 1 o'clock had reached down to the saddle between Ngauruhoe and„Pukekailciore. It was apparent, too, that whereas previously the eruptions had thrown to one side or other of the crater, the explosions abont every 15 see.onds were shooting straight up ana showering all sides of the cone with rock, while oceasionally flames shot up from the centre. For a time the peak, at the level of the cone was shrouded with a bank of smoke but this cleared as the heat at the top increased and at 1 o'clock the top was aglow for some distanee down the sides.

Viewed directly from the north oi the 'National Park-Tokaanu highway the - mountain presented an unf orgettable spectacle. With each shot, glowing white scoria spilled over the crater edge to divide aeid run with incredible speed in two narrow streams down the mountain. As each successive flow cooled, it brought streams further down to remain glowing red, against whicn the whiteness of the fresh eruptions showed. Sho.rtly after 1 a.m. the two streams united again about threequarters of the way down to the saddle. With the light from the flow builaing up in steps, it gave the appearanee. iri

the darkness of a gigantic necklace iuaig xrom tne top of the mountain. About every 15 seconds a fountain 'of rock shot into the air to the accompanlment of a heavy and prolonged vibfation of the air which was dislinct ly different from the explosion eoncussion of the earlier aetivity. The^thots gained frequency until at 3 a.m. there was no intermission but just a steady stream of rocks and flame- shooting from the open mouth of the crater until the pountainside for nearly a quarter oi the way down, was covered with glowing rock. About the same time molten scoria spilled. over the southern lip of • the crater to outline the cone with a molten stream in a glowing triangle. On t'he northern side the flow increased unti. it appeared to be building up a pooi in the saddle. Continuous vibration kept the air trembling and could be felt for miles around -the Chateau. From 5 p.m. aetivity died away and today the volcano is comparatively quiet except for oeeasional explosions, some of 'which can be heard 111 Raetihi 30 miles away. The mountain is not visible from the Chateau through low eloud. While the absence of earth tremors and concussion made the volcano distinetlv more bearable last night, particularly to those living at the Chateau, the spectacle was more terrifying because of the obvious terrifie heat and flerce energy wffiich left the impfession that the eruptions were eoming without hindrance from a considerable depth in the mountain.