Know the hazards. Ash Ash is often called tephre. The heavy ash particles tend to fall closer to the volcano, but dust-like ash falls can occur at great distances from the volcano. All of Taranaki could be affected by ash fall from Egmont Volcano. Ash can cause all sorts of problems with people, electric equipment, motor vehicles, machinery and many other aspects of daily life.
Hot ash flows Hot ash flows are also known as pyroclastic flows.
These are extremely hot clouds of ash and gas that roll quickly down the slopes of the volcano, destroying everything in their path. Few people have survived hot ash flows. Mud flows Mud flows, also know as lahars, are rivers of mud, water, sand and rock that flow down the river courses. Large mud flows can quickly cover large areas of land. Most of the Taranaki ring plain has been covered by mud flows at one time or another.