On the afternoon of Dec. 9, local time, 23 people were killed and injured and at least 10 others were trapped on the island of Wight, New Zealand, local time, CNN reported. To make matters worse, the island is still so dangerous that rescuers cannot reach it.
John Timms, a senior New Zealand police officer, said at a news conference on the 9th that five of the 23 people rescued from the island were death and 18 others were injured, some of them severely burned. Emergency agencies are still collecting information on the dead and people who may still be trapped on the island.
"our sorrow is with the relatives and friends of the dead and the wounded," Timms said.
So far, authorities, New Zealand, is still unable to contact people trapped on the island and is still confirming the number and identity of those trapped. Timms estimates that there are at least 10 people on the island.
To make matters worse, rescuers are currently unable to enter the Isle of Wight for a search and rescue operation. "it is not safe to return to the island from a natural environmental point of view," Timms said. "it is important to consider the health and safety of rescue workers."
Authorities, New Zealand, said earlier that when the volcano erupted, there were less than 50 people on the island, at least 30 of whom were tourists.
It is reported that Wight Island is a living volcanic island about 50 kilometers north of Fengsheng Bay, the North Island of New Zealand. It is a famous tourist attraction in New Zealand. In recent months, the New Zealand Institute of Geosciences has repeatedly warned of clear signs that the Wight Island volcano may erupt.
