‘Mass fatalities’ expected from eruption
The eruption of Whakaari/White Island has been declared a mass fatality incident.
Six people are now confirmed dead, with the eight remaining on the island presumed dead.
A further 25 of the 30 patients being treated in hospital remain in a critical condition, with burns to more than 30 per cent of their bodies. Many are on ventilators and need of skin grafts.
Since the island, off the coast of Whakata¯ ne in the Bay of Plenty, erupted at 2.11pm on Monday, hospitals have been busy aiding those injured and recovery operations were beginning.
Counties Manukau District Health Board chief medical officer Dr Pete Watson said all burn units around the country were ‘‘full to capacity’’.
‘‘It’s important not to underestimate the gravity of the injuries suffered, the huge response being mounted by our hospitals and the time it will take for some patients to fully recover.’’
Health Ministry directorgeneral Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the national multiple complex burn action plan had been activated for the first time.
The burns unit at Middlemore Hospital had taken over the overall care of the patients across the country, and would be making decisions about repatriating injured foreigners to their countries.
The chief coroner declared the eruption a mass fatality incident yesterday.
The coroners officer, together with police disaster victim identification (DVI) experts, forensic pathologists, ESR and odontologists are now working to identify victims so they can be released to their families.
‘‘Depending on how long it takes to retrieve the deceased from the island, it could be some weeks before all the deceased are identified,’’ chief coroner Judge Deborah Marshall said.
‘‘The highest standards are set to ensure the victims are correctly identified and returned to their loved ones.’’
Evidence had been gathered from the rooms of those who were aboard the Ovation of the Seas. Of the 47 people on the island, 38 were passengers on the liner.
Meanwhile family members continue to search for loved ones who may have been affected by the eruption.
Among those still missing were two Australian families and Kiwi tour guide Tipene Maangi. There were more than 100 names registered on the Red Cross Family Links website yesterday.
Crowdfunding campaigns had been created for those injured and recovering in hospital, including tour guide Jake Milbank, Australian tourist Jason Griffith, and American newlyweds Matt and Lauren Urey.
National Emergency Management Agency civil defence director Sarah Stuart Black said there was hope bodies could be recovered yesterday morning, but the risk was still too high because of the conditions on the island.
‘‘This is an utterly tragic situation ... Every day that passes with those bodies unrecovered is a day of anguish for loved ones,’’ she said.
‘‘I completely understand how important it is for them . . . that we undertake that recovery process as quickly as we can.’’
However, she said the preservation of human life must be taken into account.
‘‘This tragedy has already claimed multiple lives.’’
GNS Science noted increased volcanic tremors yesterday evening, an indication that volcanic gas pressures were still high.
The alert level remained at level three, with a 40 per cent to 60 per cent chance of eruption in the next 24 hours.
GNS senior scientist Graham Leonard said the risk was of an eruption was high on Tuesday, but even higher yesterday.
Leonard said it would currently be too hard to breathe or see on the island.
Police said recovering the bodies from the island was ‘‘an absolute priority’’ and they understood families’ desires to retrieve the bodies as soon as possible, but they were receiving advice from GNS regarding the island’s safety.
‘‘It is important to note that the environment on the island has changed since the eruption,’’ police said in a statement.
‘‘Those deploying to the island will likely encounter serious physical and chemical hazards, for which we must be prepared.’’