GeoNet says steam and gas plumes are rising from Whakaari/White Island.

The plumes were first spotted six days ago at the island which erupted in 2019, killing 22 people.

Satellite images confirmed that steam and gas discharge has been intermittent and contained minor amounts of volcanic ash.

“Volcanic activity could escalate with little or no warning”, Earth Sciences volcanologist Michael Rosenberg said.

“Sudden, more explosive events could affect the main crater floor and immediate vicinity of Whakaari/White Island.”

Despite the activity, the volcano remained at Volcanic Alert Level 2, “moderate to heightened volcanic unrest”, and at Aviation Colour Code Yellow: which meant “signs of elevated unrest above known background levels”.

In late March, an ash plume was measured rising to about 1300m above the island, after a small eruption, while a minor eruption earlier that month led to some flights to and from Tauranga Airport being cancelled.

Two small eruptions in November 2025 also led to flight cancellations.

Steam and ash coming from the island from time to time were normal activity, Rosenberg said at the time: “This is very typical of what we’ve seen intermittently over the past few decades.”

An eruption on December 9, 2019, resulted in tragedy with tourists and guides caught out on the island: 22 people died, with 25 others seriously injured.

  This story was first published on rnz.co.nz