Volcano in New Zealand
Whakaari/White Island volcano: eruption status today
Updated
No eruption of Whakaari/White Island is being reported right now Last eruption: 1964 or later; last significant eruption 2019 (NOAA NCEI).
Live status of Whakaari/White Island: whether it is erupting now, satellite hot spots, earthquakes around it, and what an eruption would mean for nearby cities and flights.
- Status now
- No open report
- Last eruption
- 1964 or later last significant: 2019
- Elevation
- 294 m 965 ft
- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Earthquakes within 50 km
- 2 past 30 days (USGS)
- Hot spots within 10 km
- 0 latest NASA FIRMS VIIRS data
- Nearest city
- Tauranga 91 km WSW
Is Whakaari/White Island erupting right now?
There is no open NASA EONET event for Whakaari/White Island right now. NOAA NCEI dates its most recent eruption to 1964 or later, and the last eruption in its significant-eruption database was in 2019. Volcano observatories can raise alert levels before an eruption starts, so check the national observatory for the current alert level.
No satellite thermal hot spot was detected within 10 km of the summit in the latest NASA FIRMS data, so there is no sign of lava at the surface large enough for VIIRS to see (clouds can hide it).
Earthquakes near Whakaari/White Island
USGS located 2 earthquakes within 50 km of Whakaari/White Island in the past 30 days, 0 of them in the last week. The largest was M4.3 on Oct 17, 2026, 33 km NNE of the summit at 133 km depth.
0 of them were shallower than 10 km. Swarms of shallow quakes can mean magma or gas is moving, but most swarms end without an eruption; observatories combine them with ground deformation and gas data.
| Time (UTC) | Magnitude | Distance | Depth | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 11:32 UTC | M4.3 | 33 km NNE | 133 km | 83 km N of Opotiki, New Zealand |
| Sep 27, 20:49 UTC | M4.0 | 22 km SW | 151 km | 32 km N of Whakatane, New Zealand |
About Whakaari/White Island
Whakaari/White Island is a stratovolcano in New Zealand, rising to 294 m (965 ft). NOAA NCEI classes its eruptive history as "Historical".
Stratovolcanoes are steep cones built from alternating lava and ash layers; their eruptions are often explosive, with ash columns that can reach cruising altitude.
The nearest large town is Tauranga, about 91 km WSW of the summit; 5 other cities lie within 250 km.
- Tauranga (91 km) earthquakes nearby
- Rotorua (107 km) earthquakes nearby
- Gisborne (145 km) earthquakes nearby
- Hamilton, Waikato Region (170 km)
- Papakura (204 km)
- Manurewa (211 km)
Flights and volcanic ash
1 major airport is within 400 km; the closest is Auckland (AKL), 219 km away. Volcanic ash melts in jet engines, so an explosive eruption can close airspace and cancel flights even far downwind.
Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) issue the official ash advisories that airlines and air traffic control follow.
| Airport | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland (AKL) | 219 km | WNW |
Other volcanoes in New Zealand
New Zealand has 10 volcanoes on this site that erupted since 1900 or are active now. The closest other one is Okataina, 92 km away.
Nearby volcanoes
Volcanoes in New Zealand
More
Data: NOAA NCEI Volcano Locations, NASA EONET (open volcano events), USGS earthquakes, NASA FIRMS (VIIRS hot spots), Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.