At 12.40 p.m. on 13 November 1896, Te Maari, a crater situated at the north end of the Tongariro range, erupted spectacularly. It continued to erupt at various intervals for nearly a year.
The eruption lasted six hours and caused massive destruction. Several villages were destroyed, along with the famous silica hot springs known as the Pink and White Terraces. Around 120 people, mainly Maori, lost their lives
