A volcanic phenomenon of boiling mud caused a New Zealand family to evacuate their home.
A bubbling mud crater suddenly opened up in the yard of a suburban Rotorua, New Zealand home, causing a family to flee, uncertain of the fate of their house and property.
The New Zealand Herald said the mud pool opened up early on Tuesday morning, and was cordoned off.
Susan Gedye lived in the house with her family, and has been evacuated until the property can be secured. At this point, it's not sure that will happen.
Here's a Guardian video report from the scene.
"We saw steam venting under pressure from the lip at the back and subsequent boiling and mud being ejected from the site," said geothermal and regulatory inspector Peter Brownbridge, as reported in a CNN article. "At the moment we are just letting it take its course—the resident has been moved out of the house for precaution and we've fenced off at the top there just to stop people coming too close," he added.
The Rotorua Lakes Council has said it's "essential" people stay clear of the area, as geothermal activity is "unpredictable." A boiling mud pool like this one poses a serious threat.
Geothermal mud pools are not uncommon in this part of New Zealand, where dealing with the effects of volcanic activity is a day-to-day experience. On the morning this particular pool opened up, Gedye felt the earth shaking, and assuming it was an earthquake. She told Radio New Zealand that by the time she'd looked outside, she saw "a big geyser coming out of the ground."
Although hot springs are found in much of the island nation, the region between Rotorua and Taupo to the south has the highest concentration of hot springs, geysers, sulfuric hot pools, silica terraces, bubbling mud, and geothermal features on Earth.
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