Story: Volcanoes

Taupō eruptions

Taupō eruptions

Lake Taupō was formed about 26,500 years ago by the massive Ōruanui eruption. This threw out 1,000 times more pumice and ash than Mt St Helens (United States) did in 1980. The latest Taupō eruption, in about 232 CE, was much smaller than Ōruanui. Even so, it was several times larger than the 1883 eruption of Krakatau (Krakatoa) in Indonesia.

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How to cite this page:

Richard Smith, David J. Lowe and Ian Wright, 'Volcanoes - The Taupō volcano', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/diagram/8716/taupo-eruptions (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Richard Smith, David J. Lowe and Ian Wright, published 12 Jun 2006