New Zealand says more eruptions on volcanic island likely

Smoke from the volcanic eruption of Whakaari, also known as White Island, is pictured from a boat, New Zealand December 9, 2019 in this picture grab obtained from a social media video. INSTAGRAM @ALLESSANDROKAUFFMANN/via REUTERS

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand authorities said monitoring equipment on the volcanic island that erupted two days ago has picked up increasing tremors on Wednesday, delaying any attempt to access the island to retrieve bodies.

"Seismic signals on the island are escalating at the moment," Graham Leonard, a volcanic geologist at GNS Science, told reporters in Wellington.

"Yesterday there was a high risk of an eruption," Leonard said. "Today there is an even higher risk of an eruption. And the parameters are worsening at the moment."

(Reporting By Jane Wardell; Editing by Himani Sarkar)