A volcano used in the filming of The Lord of the Rings has erupted, spewing hot ash high into the atmosphere.
Mount Tongariro has erupted in New Zealand, startling hikers and scientists alike. The volcano, and much of Tongariro national park, is famous for portraying the blasted landscape of Mordor in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. The scientists were caught by surprise because they were watching another nearby volcano for activity. The hikers were surprised because, according to local Clint Green, "all of a sudden a towering black plume just began erupting very quickly, skyrocketing up, at first I didn't believe what I was seeing." Among the surprised hikers were 90 schoolchildren, whose teachers caught the eruption on video. A spokesperson for GNS Science, the official monitoring organization, said "it was completely unexpected, there were no warning signs beforehand. We were watching Ruapehu waiting for an eruption and instead this came out of nowhere."
Ruapehu, which was expected to erupt some time soon, is nearby - and is perhaps Mordor's more famous volcano. Ruapehu is Amon Amarth, Orodruin, also known as Mount Doom. At least, it stood in for Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings. Ruapehu has recently had a buildup of pressure in a subterranean vent. Tongariro erupted earlier this year, briefly, for the first time in a hundred years, but wasn't due to erupt again this year. GNS said it was impossible to know whether or not the buildup in Ruapehu and the eruption of Tongariro were linked. The ash cloud reportedly climbed about 4,000m into the air. Locals were told to expect light ashfall over the next few days, which should complete the illusion that they live in a grim, despairing land ruled by a dark lord.
Stomperchomper: Aren't you not allowed to film or take pictures of that mountain, because it's a Maori sacred site or something? Or is that a different one?
Yeah, that's a different one, the one you are thinking of is more North, between Auckland and Hamilton and its not much of a mountain, more like a hill -_-"
Stomperchomper: Aren't you not allowed to film or take pictures of that mountain, because it's a Maori sacred site or something? Or is that a different one?
Yeah, that's a different one, the one you are thinking of is more North, between Auckland and Hamilton and its not much of a mountain, more like a hill -_-"
Ah, thanks, for both the correction and saving me the disappointment of going to NZ and expecting an epic mountain there XD
Stomperchomper: Aren't you not allowed to film or take pictures of that mountain, because it's a Maori sacred site or something? Or is that a different one?
Yeah, that's a different one, the one you are thinking of is more North, between Auckland and Hamilton and its not much of a mountain, more like a hill -_-"
Ah, thanks, for both the correction and saving me the disappointment of going to NZ and expecting an epic mountain there XD
Mount Tongariro and that area is epic and Mt Ruapehu had some amazing Skiing, its just the Maori burial hill that's disappointing, i dont see why they get so worked up about it -_-"
thesilentman: It would be kind of interesting to see a volcano erupt, but I hope all of those guys are safe and all with no casualties.
There were no injuries. I don't think anyone was even remotely close to it. But it did scare the hell out of those that were....remotely close. Still...I was on that mountain a few weeks ago, so I'm glad it waited until now.
Shaidz: AHAHAHHA! Really? This didn't take up 10 minutes on our news and its on The Escapist, you guys must love us up there :D
It is relative to entertainment. It was used in the Lord of the Rings filming and now with The Hobbit coming to theaters in a little over three weeks, it relates to Tolkien stuff so it is newsworthy.
CrazyGirl17: ...Yikes, looks like someone has to get rid of the Ring of Doom again...
My idea's similar, though I say that the Ring of Doom was a ruse by Sauron. His power really wasn't in the ring, and he decided to lay in wait again, and now he is coming back again.
People are looking for what the 2012 world ending disaster will be, so I say this is it. Sauron returns, end of the world.
One does not simply walk out of mordor. well its very likely that the two neighboring volcanoes are linked underneath and the pressure from one has broke out in another that had weaker crust. (the one predicted to erupt had erupted this year previously which likely hardened its hole more than the mount doom had naturally.
JonB: Ruapehu, which was expected to erupt some time soon, is nearby - and is perhaps Mordor's more famous volcano. Ruapehu is Amon Amarth, Orodruin, also known as Mount Doom. At least, it stood in for Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings.
Actually Mount Ngauruhoe was used as Mount Doom. Scenes on Mount Doom were filmed on Mount Ruapehu.
PurePareidolia: The weird thing is Ruapehu erupts all the time, Tongariro's a lot more docile in comparison.
I still think it's weird that this was completely unexpected. Tongariro did erupt last August as well. Granted, after 115 years of being silent. Ah well, just shows how unpredictable it all is.
Schoolchildren Flee Mordor Eruption
A volcano used in the filming of The Lord of the Rings has erupted, spewing hot ash high into the atmosphere.
Mount Tongariro has erupted in New Zealand, startling hikers and scientists alike. The volcano, and much of Tongariro national park, is famous for portraying the blasted landscape of Mordor in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. The scientists were caught by surprise because they were watching another nearby volcano for activity. The hikers were surprised because, according to local Clint Green, "all of a sudden a towering black plume just began erupting very quickly, skyrocketing up, at first I didn't believe what I was seeing." Among the surprised hikers were 90 schoolchildren, whose teachers caught the eruption on video. A spokesperson for GNS Science, the official monitoring organization, said "it was completely unexpected, there were no warning signs beforehand. We were watching Ruapehu waiting for an eruption and instead this came out of nowhere."
Ruapehu, which was expected to erupt some time soon, is nearby - and is perhaps Mordor's more famous volcano. Ruapehu is Amon Amarth, Orodruin, also known as Mount Doom. At least, it stood in for Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings. Ruapehu has recently had a buildup of pressure in a subterranean vent. Tongariro erupted earlier this year, briefly, for the first time in a hundred years, but wasn't due to erupt again this year. GNS said it was impossible to know whether or not the buildup in Ruapehu and the eruption of Tongariro were linked. The ash cloud reportedly climbed about 4,000m into the air. Locals were told to expect light ashfall over the next few days, which should complete the illusion that they live in a grim, despairing land ruled by a dark lord.
Source: Discovery news
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