Pacific Nations Issue Tsunami Warnings After Massive Tonga Volcano Eruption
The US and Japan tell coastal residents to move away from shores as a massive underwater volcano near Tonga triggers dangerous tsunami waves across the South Pacific.
The US and Japan advise people on their Pacific coastlines to move away from the shore as a precaution against tsunami waves caused by a massive underwater volcano eruption near Tonga. Japan warns of waves as high as three metres, and a 1.2-metre wave already hits the south of the country. The US warns of strong currents, dangerous waves, and coastal flooding along its shorelines.
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano sends plumes of ash and smoke 20 kilometres into the sky and generates waves over a metre high that crash into Tonga. The explosion is so loud that people hear it across the South Pacific and as far away as the United States. Tonga's capital, located just 65 kilometres south of the eruption, faces a near-total blackout of power, phone lines, and internet services.
Social media footage shows water washing through churches and homes, while thick ash falls over the capital, Nuku'alofa. Residents describe terrifying scenes of rushing water and screaming crowds fleeing to higher ground, with heavy traffic jams slowing down the evacuation. The full extent of injuries and damage remains unclear as the island nation deals with widespread communication outages.