Originally Posted by
LondonElite
Geologists and vulcanologists have been saying for years that tourist visits there were a disaster waiting to happen. When you poke the tiger enough times, you'll eventually get bitten.
I'm no geology expert. On one hand, the alert level was raised to the highest level short of an eruption on 11/18 because of increasing volcanic activity on the island. One may reasonably question why tours were still allowed given the heightened alert. At the same time, other geologists say there was no indication of an imminent violent eruption, despite the heightened alert level.
I've visited White Island. It's one of the coolest places I've ever been, and I wouldn't hesitate to visit any more than I would hesitate to visit earthquake-prone California (which, incidentally, has killed 130 people and injured 14,000 in the last 30 years).