WHAKATANE, New Zealand: Eight people were missing and presumed dead on Tuesday after a volcanic eruption covered a small New Zealand island popular with tourists in hot ash and steam, killing five people and seriously injuring around 30 more. Ardern said tourists from Australia, the United States, Britain, China and Malaysia were among the missing and injured, along with New Zealanders. New Zealand's Prime minister Jacinda Ardern addresses the media following an eruption of the White Island volcano, in Whakatane, New Zealand. Tour guides evacuate tourists on a boat shortly after the volcano eruption on White Island, New Zealand December 9, 2019 in this picture obtained from social media. This handout photograph courtesy of Michael Schade shows the volcano on New Zealand's White Island spewing steam and ash minutes following an eruption on December 9, 2019.

Source: New Strait Times December 10, 2019 03:00 UTC