To be honest, it was a bit of an anti-climax.
For many months we’d been hearing about preparations for an inevitable lahar that would happen when the wall holding back the crater lake at Mt Ruapehu finally burst. Earthworks were undertaken to try and channel the flow, bridges were raised and strengthened. Road closure procedures were tested.
Yesterday morning, it finally happened.
The lahar moved as had been predicted, and earlier efforts to strengthen and protect things like rail bridges appear to have worked. The early warning system also worked.
Conservation Minister Chris Carter said “I am pleased that we now have a robust system to manage this kind of natural event.” Yes, well, this may be one of the few times a natural event could be managed, given there was so much time to prepare.
Scientists will now try and reach the summit of Mt Ruapehu to assess the remaining crater lake (more on this story and video are here).
The main thing, really, is that everything worked perfectly, and apparently people and property were kept safe. In a country prone to various geologic events, this success is comforting.
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