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New Zealand's White Island volcano has erupted, leaving at least five people dead and many more unaccounted for.The volcanic island lies around 30 miles (48km) from the North Island's east coast and is only around 2km wide.It is one of the country's most active volcanoes, and rises to 321m above sea level - but around 70% of it is underwater, which has built up over 150,000 years of activity.White Island volcano spews huge ash cloudWhite Island - also known by the indigenous Maori name Whakaari - was discovered by British explorer Captain James Cook on 1 October 1769, and it was named after the white plumes of smoke and steam rising from it.Because of its ease of access and frequent volcanic activity, tourists flock to White Island with around 10,000 visiting annually.Up until just before Monday's eruption, people could be seen walking in a huge crater on the island, showing the wealth of access tourists get on Whakaari.It was historically used for sulphur mining in the late 19th century, and again in the early parts of the 1900s, but when the western rim of the volcano collapsed in 1914 operations were stopped after all 12 workers on the island were killed.Mining started again in 1923, but learning the lessons of the landslide nine years earlier, workers built their huts elsewhere and sailed to the mines every day.If the seas were rough, they would instead have to walk along a precarious, narrow path around the coast.Image:The volcano is one of the country's most activeImage:The eruption was classed as 'minor'.
Pic: GeoNetThe island has been privately owned since 1953 and visitors need permission to step foot there.Whakaari was in constant eruption from 1975 to 2000, destroying the forest on the island and creating huge craters.Image:Tourists have good access to the island.
Pic: Twitter/ @schThere has been increased volcanic activity since 2012, but eruptions have been mostly limited to steam plumes and have been relatively short-lived, lasting around 10 minutes or so.Monday's eruption was classed as "minor" by GeoNet, which monitors the island, and put the volcano at alert level three (out of five).
White Island is usually at alert level one or two.Despite being classed as minor, officials said that the island became unreachable following the eruption.
They were forced to delay a rescue operation until it was safe.
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