Aussie woman plunges into boiling New Zealand ‘geothermal sump’ when ‘ground opened’ beneath her
- Woman, from Perth and believed to be elderly, fell after the ground opened up
- She was taken to hospital and is described as currently in critical condition
- Her husband, who helped her, is also said to have been injured after a fall
An Australian woman was seriously injured after falling into a geothermal sinkhole in New Zealand.
The Perth woman, described as elderly, fell Thursday after the ground opened up beneath her at a tourist attraction in Rotorua, North Island.
She was helped out of the hole by her husband, who was also injured.
A spokeswoman for the ambulance of Sint-Jan says that the woman has been taken to hospital in critical condition.
Perth woman, described as elderly, was seriously injured after jumping into a geothermal sinkhole in New Zealand
“Two ambulances and an emergency room arrived at the scene. The treated St. John then transported one patient in critical condition and one in moderate condition to Rotorua Hospital.”
The hole is estimated to be about two meters long, one meter wide and at least one meter deep.
Village spokesman Mike Gibbons said the couple was walking on a footpath near the village entrance when they fell.
He told 9News the village would be temporarily closed to visitors until a ‘full investigation and assessment had been carried out by the appropriate authorities, including WorkSafe and the Rotorua Lakes Council’.
“The area around the fumarole, which is estimated to be 2m long x 1m wide and up to 1m deep… is closed to the public pending the WorkSafe assessment.
“It appears that the ground has been damaged by the recent heavy rainfall.
The group opened Thursday under the woman at a tourist attraction in Rotorua, on the North Island
“We’re just keeping in touch with them and their families to monitor their well-being and recovery from the incident.”
The local Aukaha News said people had reported steam rising from the area about a week ago, prompting authorities to place an orange safety cone in the area.
The Rotorua Lakes Council was notified and personnel were sent to assess the damage in the area.
Whakarewarewa Village is a popular cultural attraction as the country’s “only living Maori village” that offers Maori dance performances, a traditional feast, and geothermal features, according to the website.