Earthquake Flat and the Little Canyon

Unassuming pasture at Tumunui just south of the Green Lake on State Highway Five in the Rotorua thermal region is actually the rumbling remains of an ancient volcano crater.

And lately it has been shaking and shifting and showing what it's made of. What it's made of is a whole lot of gaps, which in New Zealand are called Tomo.

GeoNet explains that the Earthquke Flat crater is a special one as it has no streams releasing the water from it's centre, so all rainwater soaks downward, into the layers of pumice that it threw out some 60,000 ago. The Pumice is so soft and porus, and hold so much air, that when they get saturated, fissures open and the topsoils are simply swallowed up and taken away through the myriad of underground streams that run through the area.

In 2018, extreme rainfall led to a few new tomo, or canyons opening up in the earthquake flat area, perfect for studies by geological scientists, not so good for the farmer. One tomo has been dubbed 'Little Canyon' and has rapidly become a sight to see. IF you have been there, please, send NZPlaces a picture.