New Zealand PM says recovery teams hoping to access White Island volcano on Wednesday
WHAKATANE, New Zealand - Increasing tremors on a volcanic island in New Zealand have hampered efforts by authorities to recover the bodies of eight people thought to be left on the island, two days after it erupted, engulfing dozens of tourists in steam and hot ash.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told Reuters emergency officials were meeting on Wednesday morning to determine if a recovery effort could be launched. “Since around 4:00 am this morning the level of volcanic tremor has significantly increased at the island,” the agency said in a statement. “The situation remains highly uncertain as to future activity. Eruptions in the next 24 hours are still likely to occur.”Police said the safety of recovery teams was the priority and are awaiting advice from experts on when they could access the island. That has prompted some criticism authorities are being too cautious.
Ardern said the primary focus was on caring for some 30 people who were injured and were being treated for burns at several hospitals around the country. One of the private helicopter operators who landed on the island after the eruption and carried survivors back to the mainland said he thought conditions had been favorable and a recovery operation could be completed in about 90 minutes.
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