Witnesses say lightning added to the spectacle as ash spread north toward Taupo and to the the East Coast of the North Island.. Airports at Rotorua, Taupo, Whakatane and Tauranga were closed by the ash fall. Workers at skifields on the western side of the mountain were evacuated and their hopes of an early start to the ski season started to crumble.
Winesses say low rumbling accompanied the plumes of ash rising from the mountain.
The Chateau Tongariro hotel at the bottom of the Tongariro ski field was evacuated during the eruption last year but residents have not been asked to leave this time.
The Ruapehu volcano was downgraded from a level two threat to a level one threat last week, but now it has been elevated to a level three alert again.
The eruption is a blow for tourist operators on Mt. Ruapehu as the ski season is about to start. Tourist industries lost millions of dollars last year when the last eruption disrupted skiing and forced people off the mountain.
One Network News reporter Simon Shepherd flew over the mountain . He saw huge red lightning bolts playing in the plumes as the ash and steam continued to blast into the sky.
Scientists have also visited the mountain and have also flown over the crater. They say there is no obvious danger to people around the mountain.
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