New Zealand: Eruption of a volcano while visiting a group of tourists

The New Zealand volcano White Island erupted on Monday, raising fears for a group of visitors seen, just before, walking to the bottom of the crater. The National Emergency Management Agency said the moderate volcanic eruption that occurred was dangerous for people near the volcano, while the local mayor said he feared people would have been killed. been injured at least.

A hundred or so tourists were on Monday "on or around" the White Island volcano, and a number of them are missing, said Premier Jacinda Ardern. "It's a changing situation and of course all our thoughts are with the people involved," she told reporters in Wellington shortly after the eruption that occurred in the early afternoon. Some 10,000 tourists visit the volcano island every year, which has erupted regularly for half a century, the last time in 2016.

#BREAKING: Video shows the aftermath of a volcanic eruption on New Zealand's White Island. pic.twitter.com/3ZWMVgL38h

WATCH: Dramatic video shows moment volcano erupts at White Island in New Zealand; an unknown number of people are missing pic.twitter.com/Ei8uMysms4