12 Mar 2013

Aviation alert for Ruapehu ash falls

9:24 pm on 12 March 2013

Scientists have lowered the aviation alert level for Mount Ruapehu from yellow to green.

GNS Science says it has made the change because the risk of a sudden eruption big enough to affect aircraft has decreased.

But it says the volcanic alert level remains at one, the second to lowest level, because the volcano is still in a state of unrest and eruptions could occur with no warning.