Experts monitoring a supervolcano that is responsible for the biggest eruption recorded in the past 5,000 years have upped the level of alert.
Scientists have reported changes in activity at the Taupō volcano, located in New Zealand, which hasn’t covered the nation’s north island in lava and ash for nearly 1,800 years.
The alert level has officially been raised from 0 to 1 - out of six - for the first time since experts began using the measuring system back in 1994.
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According to the Geological agency, GeoNet, there have been nearly 700 earthquakes recorded since May, however, most were not felt on land, but it is as a result of them that they have now opted to up the alert.
Despite this, experts still insist that the chance of a devastating eruption “remains very low,” and that the largest earthquake recorded was on September 10, when it reached a magnitude of 4.5 on the Richter scale.
The issue is that the volcano’s magmatic system is believed to be located at Horomatangi Reef in Lake Taupō, which is where most of these earthquakes are occurring.
In a statement, GeoNet said: “We interpret the ground uplift and earthquake activity to be caused by the movement of magma and the hydrothermal fluids inside the volcano.
“We have also sampled springs and gas vents around the lake for changes in chemistry that may be related to the earthquake and ground uplift.”
It’s also important to note that since the year 1870, there have been 17 episodes of unrest recorded at Taupō, but none have been more threatening than level 2 of the alert system.
GeoNet added on Tuesday: “The Volcanic Alert Level reflects the current level of volcanic unrest or activity and is not a forecast of future activity.
“Volcanic unrest at volcanoes like Taupō could continue for months or years and not result in an eruption.”
When it exploded nearly 1,800 years ago, Taupō coated the lakeside areas in rock and pyroclastic flows dozens of feet deep and covered much of the North Island with at least 1 cm of ash.
Meanwhile, scientists say around 25,500 years ago, the supervolcano erupted to create the large basin that formed the lake that exists there today.
Between those periods, experts believe at least 27 other smaller eruptions have happened.
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