Mother Nature has an unpredictable way of conducting herself. Nature always enthrals us with its beauty but the playful nature sometimes unexpectedly creates a dread for the inhabitants of this nature. Though advanced technology has produced improved systems and machines to predict the approximate time and severity of any upcoming natural disaster, recently in New Zealand, on December 9, a volcano suddenly erupted in the country’s North Island. Despite the issue of warnings off the coast in New Zealand and the signals of “moderate volcanic unrest”, it failed to determine the exact time or date which led to the death of five people and injury of a dozen.
An eminent geologist at Northeastern University, Daniel Douglass mentions the three major indications that the geologists use to observe the volcanic activity and detect any prior sign of explosion, however, a “small, fast-moving eruption such as this” in New Zealand did not appear in the data primarily which resulted in the sudden eruption. Scientists specialising in examining the volcanic activities measured the ground surface elevations and checked the gases coming out from the holes around the central volcano with the observation of the magma flowing underground. If the magma or the hot lava comes close to the earth’s crust, it creates a swell in the surface, from which the severity of the volcanic emission can be detected. Threat levels were also issued in this case, on November 18, 23, and December 3 to alert the people around the Coast of White Island.
In spite of several warnings and predictions, this fatal eruption could not be ignored. Many people were still missing the next day according to the reports of the police officials. However, The Washington Post reported that the inspecting flight over the island had not found any sign of life.
Nature always proves her indomitable power over technology and science. Though the warning systems were proved useful in the time of natural disasters earlier, it still cannot fight with the impulsive attitude of Mother Nature.
Rubena Bose