Skip to main content

Story: Tsunamis

Whakaari (White Island)

Image
Whakaari (White Island)

White Island is an active andesite volcano, about 47 kilometres offshore from Whakatāne. A large, explosive eruption could generate a tsunami, and there would be little warning before this reached the Bay of Plenty coastline.

Using this item

Private collection

by Simon Nathan

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Willem de Lange and Eileen McSaveney, Tsunamis – Tsunamis – New Zealand’s underrated hazard, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6212/whakaari-white-island (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Willem de Lange and Eileen McSaveney, published 2 March 2009.