History / Natural Disasters

I Was There When: Mount Ruapehu erupted

21:15 pm on 18 April 2024

Every Thursday, Nights speak to people who were on the ground when history was made in New Zealand.

Tonight, we're going back to nearly 30 years to look at the last major eruptions of Aotearoa's largest volcano Mt Ruapehu.

Between 1995 and 1996 the mountain put on a show - throwing ash, rocks and water across the surrounding area.

Someone who has spent their life studying the volcano and was there in 1995 and 1996 is GNS volcanologist Brad Scott who joins Emile Donovan.

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Mount Ruapehu on New Zealand's North Island erupted 17 June 1996, sending a thick cloud of ash 10 kilometres into the atmosphere. Photo: AFP