Volcanic Eruption
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The biggest eruption from the Taupo Volcano
The Oruanui eruption, which took place 26,500 years ago, is the biggest eruption known from the Taupo volcano.
The Taupo volcano includes the northern half of the lake and a small surrounding area. It is not the more familiar cone-shaped volcano because its violent eruptions have deposited material a long way from the vent and the subsequent collapse of the ground has formed a caldera (a collapsed volcano).
About 800 cubic kilometres of pumice and ash were ejected in the Oruanui eruption, probably over a period of a few days or even weeks. On average, enough pumice was expelled to bury the entire North Island by 10 metres.
Lake Taupo (Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences)
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