New Zealand’s Mount Tongariro erupted on Monday night for the first time since 1897. The half-hour eruption spread a layer of ash as far as 60 miles, drove some people to evacuate their homes, and canceled some domestic flights, but caused no damage or injuries in the sparsely populated central North Island area. The area, which is designated as a national park, is a popular tourist attraction and was used as a filming location for the Lord of the Rings films. Scientists had seen increased seismic activity under the mountain for weeks, but no warning had been issued before the eruption.
