Volcano · New Zealand
Whakaari / White Island
An island volcano in the Bay of Plenty.
Status right now
No current reports
Whakaari / White Island is not in the latest Smithsonian weekly report or the GDACS volcano alerts. That usually means it is quiet, but not every change is reported straight away. For official alerts, follow the local volcano observatory.
Checked 4 Nov 2026, 23:44 UTC.
Key facts
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Pacific
- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Summit
- 294 m (965 ft)
- Coordinates
- 37.520° S, 177.180° E
- Smithsonian number
- 241040
What kind of volcano is it?
Whakaari / White Island is a stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is a tall, steep cone built from layers of lava, ash and rock from many eruptions. Its sticky magma traps gas, so eruptions are often explosive, with ash columns and fast-moving pyroclastic flows.
Eruption history
| Date | VEI | Deaths | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 2019 | 2 | 22 | – |
| 10 Sept 1914 | – | 11 | – |
2 significant eruptions near Whakaari / White Island in NOAA's Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database, which lists eruptions that caused deaths, damage or a tsunami, or were VEI 6 or larger. VEI is the Volcanic Explosivity Index, from 0 to 8.
Nearby volcanoes
- RuapehuNew Zealand · 241 km
- YasurVanuatu · 2,136 km
- AmbrymVanuatu · 2,527 km
- BaganaPapua New Guinea · 4,138 km
- UlawunPapua New Guinea · 4,462 km
- ErebusAntarctica · 4,475 km
Not an official warning service. In an emergency, follow your local authorities.