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has anything to do with the wet season is only and safety on Yasur, public education and awareness
speculation. However, it is a fact that this time of measures were set up near the volcano. These
year is the most spectacular and the volcano is include several posters and documents, including a
generally very quiet at the end of the dry season map with viewing points related to the Yasur
(Vanuatu Tourism Office, 2009). intensity of explosions with an explanation
Tour guides are employed on Yasur to prevent describing the different alert levels.
visitors from putting themselves in danger. Even
though the access rules are clearly defined, your Activity levels and access rules
guide may let you go closer than allowed and There are five levels of volcanic activity: Level 0:
although a safer distance is still beautiful some Low activity, access to the crater allowed.Level 1:
tourists are seeking an adrenalin rush. As a result Normal activity, access to the crater allowed.Level
several tourists have been killed by hits from lava 2: Moderate to high activity, lava bombs may land
bombs in the past (Wantok Environment Centre, beyond the crater rim, access to the crater is
2009), which is not good for the tourism industry. closed.Level 3: Severe activity with loud explosions,
Admittedly this was during the wet season and lava bombs ejected up to hundreds of metres
Yasur was more active than usual, but sadly those outside the crater and large plumes of smoke and
who died had gone to areas at the edge of the vent ash, access to the summit zone is closed.
that tourist guides normally keep people away Level 4: Major eruption affecting large areas
from, knowing these areas are potentially dangerous. around the volcano and possibly other parts of
In the first incident, a Tannese ni-Vanuatu from Tanna and even neighbouring islands, all access
another part of the island had gone to the volcano closed.
alone, was hit in the leg by a piece of lava and
instead of going to a doctor, went to seek ‘bush References
medicine’ treatment; he eventually bled to death. Monzier, M., Robin, C., Eissen, J. P. and Cotton, J.
In the second incident, both a guide and tourist (1997) ‘Geochemistry vs. seismo-tectonics along
were killed because the tourist had insisted on the volcanic New Hebrides Central Chain
going to a dangerous area and the guide (Southwest Pacific)’, Journal of Volcanology and
accompanied her. Both were hit by erupting Geothermal Research, vol 78, pp1–29
pieces of lava and died instantly. Thereafter the Seach, J. (2009) ‘Vanuatu Volcano Travel’, www.
upper rim of the volcano was closed until activity volcanolive.com/vanuatutravel.html, accessed 10
quietened down some weeks later. However, the July 2009
lesson here is, stay on the path in dangerous places Vanuatu Tourism Office (2009) ‘Vanuatu Islands –
Tanna Yasur Volcano’, www.vanuatu.travel/
(Vanuatu Tourism Office, 2009). vanuatu/volcanoes/tann-yasur-volcano.html,
accessed 10 July 2009
Conclusions Wantok Environment Centre (2009) ‘Visiting the
Active volcanoes, such as Yasur are NOT theme Mount Yasur Volcano, Tanna’, www.positiveearth.
parks. they are nature at its most awesome – org/bungalows/TAFEA/yasur.htm, accessed 10
dangerous and unpredictable. To ensure security July 2009

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