New Zealand officials file 13 charges over volcano eruption that killed 22

fox ^ | 11/30/2020

[BenLurkin]

The island had been a popular tourist destination before the Dec. 9 eruption. But many people now question why tourists were allowed to visit, especially after experts monitoring seismic activity raised the volcano's alert level two weeks before the eruption.

The names of those charged are being kept secret for now by authorities under New Zealand legal rules.

But two agencies which rely on public funding have disclosed they are among those charged: GNS Science and the National Emergency Management Agency. Some of the others charged likely include private companies which took tourists to the island. The individuals charged were either company directors or managers.

[Slyfox]

Ya know, a couple of things come to mind about a volcano eruption in New Zealand.

At one point a few years back there was some word of Hillary wanting to move to NZ, but the whole extradition thing made that impossible.

BUT, what if we had allowed her to move to NZ, like right on top of the volcano. I am pretty sure the volcano god would have taken Hillary as a worthy sacrifice.

Maybe we could have avoided all of this 2020 crap had we just done that.

[centurion316]

Lesson learned: Never honeymoon at an active volcano, even if the Mai Tais are terrific.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Sounds like a 1970s horror movie starring Joan Collins.

[Notthereyet]

I am likely one of those folks for whom keeping my body intact unless it’s a life and death issue is important.

Going to an island where the major/only tourist spot is a volcano....?

It’s tantamount to going to Iran, Iraq, Somalia....Chicago, NYC...for your honeymoom.

No way. NO HOW.

[Amberdawn]

NZ, under Ardern, is becoming an even worse totalitarian state. While it may not have been wise to visit the island, life is about risk; after all, why visit a volcano in the first place if not to say “I’ve been there” which is part of the fun in going? These “unnamed” groups will now face charges and fines in retrospect and all because those who got caught in the eruption, or their families, want to sue the taxpayer.

[Amberdawn]

NZ, under Ardern, is becoming an even worse totalitarian state. While it may not have been wise to visit the island, life is about risk; after all, why visit a volcano in the first place if not to say “I’ve been there” which is part of the fun in going? These “unnamed” groups will now face charges and fines in retrospect and all because those who got caught in the eruption, or their families, want to sue the taxpayer.

[mabarker1]

You left out: Houston, Austin, Philly, Detroit and Port-a-Potties.

[BobL]

“These “unnamed” groups will now face charges and fines in retrospect and all because those who got caught in the eruption, or their families, want to sue the taxpayer.”

I understand the ‘buyer beware’ concept, and I usually support it, but we are pretty good at predicting eruptions - although not perfect.

In this case, the government, the cruise line, and the excursion company had the information that the volcano was at its highest risk of blowing. The passengers, however, did not - they had no clue as to risk. Had they been informed, I’m sure some would have gone anyway (after all, what you don’t see can’t hurt you) - but others wouldn’t have and most of the liability would have fallen on the passengers for making the decision to go. On top of that, after it blows, a private company did the helicopter rescues (at their own expense), and the government wouldn’t even attempt going there...definitely causing unnecessary loss of lives. It was a horrible situation (obviously).

Anyway, lots of good videos on this!

[Notthereyet]

“You left out: Houston, Austin, Philly, Detroit and Port-a-Potties.”
________________________________

I was trying to recall all the cities. Thank you!

.....Port-a-Potties?

LOL

[Scrambler Bob]

Sue the danged volcano!

Then sue SARS-CoV-2.

[Amberdawn]

This case reminds me of the Italian scientists who were sued by the Government of Italy for not forecasting an eruption. All seismically active volcano’s are potentially dangerous, but forecasting eruptions is very difficult and while I agree that IF these tour groups were warned about escalating tremors, etc., they should have made that clear, many people do visit dangerous places as a kind of thrill, sort of like “war tourism”.

[discostu]

No, they’re getting busted because they were warned the volcano was getting more dangerous but didn’t take precautions. It’s continuing your helicopter tours during a hurricane. If it had been an unexpected eruption sure. But it wasn’t.

[minnesota_bound]

Tour operator: “Let’s go to a exploding volcanic island!”

[SunkenCiv]

Barely relevant sidebar:

Why China's Largest Volcano Is So Unusual

Mount Paektu (also known as Changbai Mountain) is one of the largest volcanoes on earth and yet, for the longest time, nobody could explain where it came from or why it exists. Here we will discuss why this volcano is so unusual and how the geological mystery surrounding it could eventually be solved.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a geologist. The information in this video was presented after weeks of careful and thorough research about the topic. This video is merely meant as an illustrated introduction for basic educational purposes. Should you plan to use the information beyond that I advise you to cross-reference it by doing your own research. The sources below should provide you a good starting point.

Sources / Further Reading:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259441299_Changbai_intraplate_volcanism_and_deep_earthquakes_in_East_Asia_A_possible_link
https://www.academia.edu/7371733/P_wave_tomography_and_origin_of_the_Changbai_intraplate_volcano_in_Northeast_Asia
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332637034_Buoyant_hydrous_mantle_plume_from_the_mantle_transition_zone
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019GC008373
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305351621_Mantle_transition_zone_structure_beneath_the_Changbai_volcano_Insight_into_deep_slab_dehydration_and_hot_upwelling_near_the_410-km_discontinuity
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274140246_Late_Cenozoic_intraplate_volcanism_in_Changbai_volcanic_field_on_the_border_of_China_and_North_Korea_Insights_into_deep_subduction_of_the_Pacific_slab_and_intraplate_volcanism
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258647124_Recent_unrest_of_Changbaishan_volcano_Northeast_China_A_precursor_of_a_future_eruption
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2009JB006882
https://www.academia.edu/34412751/Multi_proxy_dating_the_Millennium_Eruption_of_Changbaishan_to_late_946_CE
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0377027317301051
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2018GC008090
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336745222_Mantle_Melting_and_Intraplate_Volcanism_Due_to_Self-Buoyant_Hydrous_Upwellings_From_the_Stagnant_Slab_That_Are_Conveyed_by_Small-Scale_Convection
https://www.ajsonline.org/content/310/10/1250
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms8700
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2018TC005079
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331807263_Onset_of_the_North-South_Gravity_Lineament_NE_China_Constraints_of_Late_Jurassic_bimodal_volcanic_rocks


Voice-over by Matt Provenzano
www.mattprovenzano.com

Thanks for watching.

[BenLurkin]

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