"Eruption" aired on 13 October 2010 on TV3; this was timed to fall into the Civil Defence awareness week which went from 10 to 16 October 2010 and was dubbed "Get ready week". This was one month after the initial Christchurch earthquake where a New Zealand population experienced a natural disaster. Gibson hoped that it would not be "too much too soon" for people from Christchurch. The film was "The New Zealand Herald's" "TV pick of the week".