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New Zealand's deadliest eruption since the arrival of Europeans occurred at around 1am on 10 June 1886. Up to 150 people, mostly Māori, were killed, and many settlements were destroyed or buried.
Mount Tarawera is not far from Rotorua. In 1886 many of the visitors to the 'Hot Lakes' stayed in the small village of Te Wairoa, as it was the starting point for trips to the famous Pink and White Terraces on Lake Rotomahana. Today, Te Wairoa is famously known as 'The Buried Village'.
The eruption began with a swarm of earthquakes, followed by what was thought to be hail. It turned out to be stones and scoria. This was soon followed by thick ash and mud. Many building collapsed under the weight of this and the dense air suffocated people.
See also: List of victims http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sooty/tarawera.html New Zealand History https://nzhistory.govt.nz/eruption-of-mt-tarawera