[Geysers] Blowout in Rotorua

[Ashley Cody]

On Thursday 17 March at ~1435 hrs, a blowout was observed from within the northern end of Ruapeka Bay on Lake Rotorua, at Ohinemutu. It shot dark grey muddy waters and steam to ~6 m high for 3-4 minutes. Witnessed by Mrs Maxwell (wife of councillor Trevor). She rang council safety inspector Peter Brownbridge.

On Friday 18 March at ~1500 hrs, Peter saw two more shots each ~1 m high from same centre in lake. This is a new vent not previously known of. It is ~25 m NW from a clear flowing hot spring known simply as S1233, in the bed of the lake just 10 m west from the tip of Muruika Point. 

This is where a prehistorical account relates of a sunken village, where a sudden disturbance occurred one night and many people were killed. >From verbal geneology records, this event may have occurred about early 1700s-1720s? Could have been related to an earthquake or hydrothermal eruption that overwhelmed a settlement there? Today rows of timber posts are still standing below waterlevel in the lake here. 

Ashley Cody
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