Believed Ngauruhoe Has Spewed More Lava

Chronicle (Levin), 19 February 1949, Page 7

Believed Ngauruhoe Has Spewed More Lava

AUCKLAND, Feb.' 18. * More lava is believed to have liowed from the northwest side of the crater, of Mt. Ngauruhoe today. Activity was renewed by a terriiic expiosioih. at 6. 10 a.rn. Following the explosiou a large ; volume of boulders, ash and rock shot out of the volcano. Several more ex- , plosions occurred during the day, the last reported being at 8.20 p.m. when the inountain - vvas fairly well covered | by qloud red hot boulders could ue seen shooting through the cloud. Fresh lava was reported on the oid northern track where it poured last week. Molten material also ran down the western side froin a point where it had never been seen before. .

A Government geologist, Mr. L. K. Allen, and a meniber of the geplogicai Rurvey, Mr. J. W. Ilarris, returned to the Chateau at 3 p.m. after spendinp Thursday night at Mangatepopo hui. Mr. Allen said ,he had hoped to climu to the, crater but it would have been suicidal from that side which was cov ered with loose rocks. Both he and pr Harris believed tliat a little lava eauieout of a sinall vont 100 feet below the. the northwest side of the crater. Noth ing could be seen during the dq,y but at ' night there ws.s the impression of a smaii but continuouslflow. Mr. Allen said he hoped during the weekend or,^ on Monday, to climb the mountain from tliq Tama Lakes approach. That was the onlv safe side for the. ascentIf he made that ascent he mighj; ' be able to skirt around the top ;df ■ • the crater and investigate all side's, Activ-, itv today was not liearly as vlolent as it was last week.