New Zealand volcano eruption: At least five confirmed dead

New Zealand volcano eruption: At least five confirmed dead, 'no signs of life' remain on the island, police say

Tourists flee New Zealand island as volcano erupts

A New Zealand volcanic island erupted in a tower of ash and steam while dozens of tourists were exploring the moon-like surface.

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A volcanic eruption in New Zealand killed at least five people and left many more presumed dead Monday on a small volcanic island off the country's northeast coast.

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Police said White Island, also called Whakaari, was still too dangerous for search & rescue crew but that multiple reconnaissance aircraft flew over since the eruption Monday afternoon & "no signs of life've been seen at any point."

Fewer than 50 people were on the island when it erupted, & 23, including the 5 confirmed dead, have been evacuated, Police Deputy Commissioner John Tims said.

"Anyone who could've been taken from the island alive was rescued at the time of the evacuation," police said in a news release.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called the eruption "very significant" and traveled to the area Monday. "All our thoughts are with those affect," she said.

Here's what we know now:

What happened on White Island?

The eruption occurred just after 2 p.m. local time, according to GeoNet, which tracks volcanic activity in New Zealand.

The eruption was "short-lived" and sent an ash plume soaring about 12,000 feet above the volcano's vent, GeoNet volcanologist Geoff Kilgour said.

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Both New Zealanders and tourists were among the dead, missing or injured, Tims said. Many of the 18 survivor were injured, some with severe burns, he said.

Police said'ey were working to confirm the exact number of deceased but "do not believe there are any survivors on the island."

Videos & photos shared on social media show massive plumes of smoke coming off the island.

A Royal Caribbean International cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas, was on the island at the time, the company confirm. The ship was to sail to Wellington on Monday but instead would remain in the Tauranga port overnight to learned more, the company said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said 24 Australians were on the island as part of a cruise ship tour. There were still people, including Australians, unaccounted for, he said.

Kilgour wrote that volcano activity on the island has since diminished. Volcanic activity on the island reached an alert level of four out of five immediately following the eruption but has since been lowered to three, indicating a "minor local eruption is in progress."

“In the scheme of things, for volcanic eruptions, it isn't large,” GeoNet's Ken Gledhill said. “But if you were close to that, it isn't good.”

New Zealand volcano eruption: at least 5 dead on popular tourist island

Why were people on White Island despite increased volcanic activity?

GeoNet had raised its alert level on the island from 1 to 2 on Nov. 18 as sulfur dioxide gas increased.

According to GeoNet, a level 2 warning is means there are "unrest hazards on the volcano and could include eruptions of steam, gas, mud and rocks. These eruptions can occur with little or no warnings." 

GeoNet had been providing update on the volcanic unrest on the island in the days leading up to the eruption.

"Volcanic gas emission & seismic activity continue to remain elevated," GeoNet's Brad Scott wrote last Tuesday. "Observations & data to date suggest that the volcano may be entering a period where eruptive activity is more likely than normal."

Scott said alert level can often raise then fall without an eruption.

Loÿc Vanderkluysen, a volcanologist at Drexel University, said he was surprised that tourists were on the island given the volcanic activity.

"Scientists seem to have been well aware that White Island was entering a phase of heightened activity," he said.

Prime Minister Ardern said rescue efforts remained the focus and questions over whether tourists should be visiting would be addressed later.

Where is White Island?

White Island is about 30 miles off New Zealand is North Island in the Bay of Plenty. It's also known by its indigenous Maori name Whakaari.

The cone volcano is New Zealand's most active, experts say, and about 70 percent of it sits under the sea. 

A shelter was installed in 2016 on the island in case of unexpected eruptions, according to the New Zealand Herald.

The island has a history of mining but is now a tourists attraction. The island became a private scenic reserve in 1953, & more than 10,000 people visit the volcano each year on daily tours.

What's next for search and rescue crews?

A naval ship planned to approach the perimeter of the island early Tuesday and deploy drones and other observational equipment, police said.

A disaster identification team was forming at Whakatane, a city south of White Island on North Island.