Page "Mount Ruapehu" Paragraph 16
from
Wikipedia
On 18 March 2007, the tephra dam which had been holding back the crater lake burst, sending a lahar down the mountain.
An estimated 1. 4 million cubic metres of mud, rock, and water thundered down the Whangaehu river.
The Department of Conservation had received warning signals from the lahar warning system ( ERLAWS ) at around 10: 30 that morning and closed all major roads in the area ( trapping thousands of motorists ) and shut down the main rail system for the North Island.
Luckily the river banks held and no spill overs occurred.
No serious damage was done and no one was injured.
One family was trapped for around 24 hours after the lahar swept away the access route to their home.
Page 1 of 1.
2.038 seconds.