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Story: Historic volcanic activity

Lava blocks

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Lava blocks

Eight seconds after the initial explosion, the ash cloud has expanded. Incandescent lava blocks, some the size of small cars, leave vapour trails in the sky. Some blocks were thrown as far as 2 kilometres from the crater.

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Private collection

by Graham Hancox

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney, Carol Stewart and Graham Leonard, Historic volcanic activity – Tongariro and Ngāuruhoe, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/6854/lava-blocks (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Eileen McSaveney, Carol Stewart and Graham Leonard, published 2 March 2009.