THERMAL ACTIVITY

Otago Witness, Issue 4032, 23 June 1931, Page 65

THERMAL ACTIVITY

NEW GEYSER AT ROTORUA. ROTORUA, June 18. With terrific suddenness a new spectacular geyser broke out at 6 p.m. on Wednesday near the mouth of the Puarenga stream, on the shores of Lake Rotorua. The first shot went over 100 feet, and the geyser then played until 4 a.m., when it subsided. It broke out with renewed violence to-day at 3 p.m., playing continually afterwards every few minutes.

The first activity in this locality occurred a few weeks ago 20 vards from the present outbreak, when a former geyser suddenly erupted, endangering two nearby occupied Maori whares. but after playing for a few days it subsided. The occu pants of the whares, disturbed by the con tinual trembling of the ground, evacuated their homes a week ago. expecting a fresh outburst. The present outbreak is right in the yard of the whares. completely engulfing the clothes line and spattering muddy water round the dwellings. When visited this afternoon the geyser was playing magnificently, sending shots of boiling muddy water over 40 feet into the air, the whole being surrounded by a pillar of steam. There is a continuous trembling of the ground for of 100 yards. Thermal activity has been noticeable in Rotorua during the last few weeks, Pohutu playing regularly and sending up fine shots. The lake front is also very active. The present outbreak is the largest for many years, the crater being oyer 250 feet in circumference. If it continues it will compensate in some measure for the loss of the Waimaunga geyser.