Pink and White Terraces
The Pink and White Terraces ( Māori Otukapuarangi, Fontaine cloudy sky ' or Te Tarata, the tattooed rock ") were a formation of sinter terraces in the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand and were considered a natural wonder until they at June 10, 1886 were destroyed by a volcanic eruption.
Description
The terraces were located in the area of the volcanically active Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley. In the Earth's interior heated thermal water with large amounts of silica appeared regularly from two geysers at Lake Rotomahana near Rotorua and ran down the slope of a hill. The water left behind thick deposits of opal Minerals Geyserit from which terraces formed, the water basin enclosed. Similar structures are found today at Pamukkale in Turkey and in Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park (USA). The White Terraces were the larger and more beautiful formation, they covered an area of 3 hectares and overcame a height difference of 30 m. The Pink Terraces were, however, used for bathing.
The terraces were considered the "eighth wonder of the world " and were at that time the most famous tourist destination in New Zealand. Also came from Europe in the early 1880s visitors, as New Zealand itself was still relatively difficult to reach.
Whereabouts
The terraces were destroyed by previous representations, than Mount Tarawera erupted five kilometers further north on June 10, 1886 at 3 clock. The volcano spewed from a 17 -km-long trench through the mountains hot mud, red hot rocks and large amounts of ash. This ditch also runs through the Lake Rotomahana. The eruption caused more than 150 deaths and buried several places, including the inhabited by Māori and European settlers settlement Te Wairoa.
After the outbreak was located at the site of the terraces over 100 m deep crater. After a few years, filled these with water and formed a new Lake Rotomahana, 30 meters higher and much larger than the old lake.
Press releases dated June 2011, according to both terraces were rediscovered in the lake 125 years after its destruction in sonar measurements. You are then in the lake at a depth of 60 m below the deposited sediments.