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Story: Historic volcanic activity

Devastation caused by the Tarawera eruption

Devastation caused by the Tarawera eruption

This map shows the main area affected by the Tarawera eruption, and gives an estimate of the number of deaths at different localities.

The northern end of the Tarawera rift sent up a column of scoria and ash, similar to that of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The eruption at the southern end of Tarawera was phreatomagmatic – the result of contact between hot magma and water – and covered the country with a hot, fast-moving blast of fragmented rock that destroyed everything in its path.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: David J. Lowe, University of Waikato

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How to cite this page

Eileen McSaveney, Carol Stewart and Graham Leonard, Historic volcanic activity – Tarawera, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/diagram/6842/devastation-caused-by-the-tarawera-eruption (accessed 4 June 2026).

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

Comments

Rex Bunn
08 May 2016
Now the Pink and White Terrace locations have been discovered, this map is obsolete and should be updated.
bill sanders
18 March 2012
i think they should drain the lake to its original depth and uncover ther terraces again this would benefit local maori and reinstate one of the wonders of the world