9 May 2016

Ruapehu lake hot but no bubbles

1:42 pm on 9 May 2016

Temperatures in the crater lake at Mt Ruapehu remain at record levels but there have been no further disturbances on the lake surface.

Aerial of a turquoise crater lake on top of Mount Ruapehu, Tongariro National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, North Island, New Zealand.

Mount Ruapehu is at record temperatures but a GNS scientist says this does not indicate an eruption was imminent. Photo: AFP

A tourist flight over the mountain on Saturday reported seeing "vigorous steaming" and an "upwelling of bubbles" on the lake surface.

GNS volcanologist Brad Scott says the temperature at the lake - which formed after the 2000 eruption - remained hot at 45 °C but it did not indicate an eruption was imminent.

Mr Scott says volcanic unrest and tremors continue at the mountain and it was a case of "watch this space".

He said scientists were hoping to make a routine flight over the crater today to measure the volcanic gas output from the mountain.