One person is confirmed dead after the volcano eruption on New Zealand's White Island, with the death toll is likely to climb, the country's police said on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th December, 2019) One person is confirmed dead after the volcano eruption on New Zealand's White Island, with the death toll is likely to climb, the country's police said on Monday.
The volcano on White Island is the most active in New Zealand. It started erupting on Monday afternoon.
"At this stage, we can confirm there has been one fatality, and based on the information we have it is likely there are others," the police said in a statement.
According to the statement, there were fewer than 50 people on the island at the time of the eruption, instead of 100, as was initially estimated.
"There remain a number of people on the island who are unaccounted for. Both New Zealanders and overseas tourists are believed to be involved ... The island is currently covered in ash and we are taking expert advice with regards to the conditions to determine when we can safety access the island," the police said.
They added some of those injured had been transported to Whakatane Hospital and Middlemore Hospital. The TVNZ channel, meanwhile, earlier reported that Waikato Hospital would be receiving four volcano eruption victims who suffered from burns.
The New Zealand Herald newspaper, in turn, reported that 23 people had been rescued from the island.
