New Zealand volcano erupts

Associated Press in Wellington

A volcano in New Zealand has erupted for the first time in 115 years, spreading a layer of thick ash for several miles and prompting the evacuation of homes and the cancellation of some flights.

Scientists said they noticed increased seismic activity below Mt Tongariro for weeks but there was no specific warning before the volcano erupted late on Monday night. The eruption of ash and rocks lasted about 30 minutes and did not cause any injuries or damage in the sparsely populated central North Island region, which is a designated national park.

The park is a popular tourist destination and formed the backdrop for many scenes in the Lord of the Rings movies.

Some nearby residents left their homes as a precautionary measure and authorities shut roads. Air New Zealand cancelled or delayed domestic flights to towns near the mountain. No international flights were affected.

Police said a witness described flashes and explosions followed by a cloud of ash coming from a hole in the north face of the mountain.

Steve Sherburn, a volcanologist at the government agency GNS Science, said the eruption spread a layer of ash several centimetres thick for several miles. There were reports of the ash being blown up to 60 miles away.

New Zealand is part of the Pacific Ocean "Ring of Fire" and has frequent geothermal and seismic activity. The last verified eruption of Mt Tongariro occurred in 1897 when it had been active for a decade.

Sherburn said it was too early to determine whether the latest eruption was the start of a renewed cycle of activity. -guardian