Scientists have reconfirmed that remnants of the world famous Pink and White Terraces lie at the bottom of Lake Rotomahana.
In an article published this week in the Journal of The Royal Society of New Zealand, the scientists said they stand by research they conducted five years ago that came to a similar conclusion.
The re-examination was prompted by claims that the Terraces weren't buried at the bottom of the lake, but on its edge.
Lead author of the GNS Science paper, Cornel de Ronde, said a review of his team's work at Lake Rotomahana between 2011 and 2014 had again suggested the Terraces could not be buried on land or at the edges of the lake.
"We've re-examined all of our findings from several years ago and have concluded that it is untenable that the Terraces could be buried on land next to Lake Rotomahana," Dr de Ronde said.
The 2011-2014 study saw scientists use high resolution seismic surveys and magnetics to understand what happened on the day Mt Tarawera erupted, and how debris from the eruption blocked the normal outflow of the lake to nearby Lake Tarawera.
This led the lake to rise by at least 60 metres, with its area increasing by roughly five times, drowning the landmark.
"The destruction of the majority of the Terraces is perhaps not surprising given that the 1886 eruption was so violent it was heard in Auckland and in the South Island," the article claims.
"The blast left a 17km-long gash through Mt Tarawera and southwestwards beneath lake."
Dr de Ronde disregarded suggestions an archaeological site investigation occur on the lake's edge, calling them "fruitless".
Newshub.
