09 / 12 / 2019 | 14:11 NZDT | 37.5228° S, 177.1833° E
At 2.11pm, on Monday, 9 December 2019,
Te Puia o Whakaari, the volcano White Island, erupted.
There were 47 people on the island; visitors from 10 nations, escorted by local tour guides.
Twenty-two people were to die as a result of the injuries they sustained. Of those, two did not
come home. Survivors faced, and continue to live with, very long recoveries.
The impact of the Whakaari event is wide-ranging; emergency services, first responders, Iwi and hapū, and myriad community members responded to an unimaginable tragedy.
What is the purpose of the Whakaari Memorial project?
The Whakaari Memorial seeks to acknowledge the people - local, national and international, impacted by the tragic Whakaari eruption on 9 December, 2019 at 2.11pm. It will stand in memory of all people impacted by the event while recognising the collective humanity, aroha and strength of our community’s response. It will also honour other loved ones who have died at the island in years past.
