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Story: Volcanoes

Ash plume, Mt Ruapehu 1996

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Ash plume, Mt Ruapehu 1996

A plume of ash erupts from Ruapehu on 19 June, 1996, drifting northward with the wind. Ash settling from the plume is dusting the snow grey. The eruptions of 1995–96 produced many similar ash plumes, and different parts of the North Island were dusted with ash depending on wind direction at the time.

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GNS Science

Reference: CN39639

by Lloyd Homer

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Richard Smith, David J. Lowe and Ian Wright, Volcanoes – What is a volcano?, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/8689/ash-plume-mt-ruapehu-1996 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Richard Smith, David J. Lowe and Ian Wright, published 2 March 2009.