New Zealand researchers claim that they have discovered a warning system to predict volcanic eruptions which can prevent future tragedies such as the blast of last year that killed 21 people on White Island. 

The University of Auckland academics David Dempsey and Shane Cronin say that their research shows patterns of seismic activity before an eruption that make advance warning possible. They also added, " Had our system been in place it would have raised the alert 16 hours before the volcano’s deadly eruption." Nature Communications publishes the research of the duo this week. New Zealand has an efficient series of monitoring instruments which is operated by GNS Science and measures earth movements and tremors. Dempsey and Cronin have applied past eruption data to “machine learning algorithms”, allowing them to look for patterns in the build-up to eruptions. The geologists hope to adapt the data to apply to other volcanoes, such as Mt Tongariro and Mt Ruapehu, but admit it is not fool-proof.

The pair said the system would only have established an alert in four of the last five major eruptions at White Island. They said," We think there is a good chance eruption like the 2019 event or larger will be detected. The trade-off is that the alerts if acted upon, would keep the island off-limits to visitors for about one month each year." The scientists are now working with GNS Science to make the system operational.
They have also made their data and software open source, allowing others to use the data in the hope of improving the tool.

Also Read:-

UK High Court to hear a death case due to air pollution

US President-elect fractures his foot while playing with dog

The second wave in Mideast protest shows Arab Spring is still alive