May 7, 1846 Eruption of Taupo
Taupo in New Zealand erupted on May 7, 1846. The eruption killed 63 people.
Where it erupted
Taupo, New Zealand, with its other significant eruptions.
The eruption
- Date
- May 7, 1846
- Volcano
- Taupo, caldera
- Country
- New Zealand
- Killed by
- Secondary (post-eruption) mudflows
- Location
- 38.781° S, 175.893° E
The toll
- Deaths
- 63
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
A lahar (mudflow) or debris avalanche of hydrothermally altered rocks along the Waihi fault destroyed fortified village of Te Heu Heu, a famous Maori chieftain. An earlier event may have occurred in 1836 but is unclear. No eruption. (reference #9675)
Other significant eruptions of Taupo
More
Every eruption in 1846The 1800sTaupoEarthquakes near TaupoThis day in weather history
Sources
Volcanoes and significant eruptions from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 6268.