One underwater volcano A surprise outburst hit the South Pacific on Saturday, sending tsunami waves north of nearby Tonga and Japan, as well as issuing dangerous sea wave warnings along the US West Coast.
Dramatic satellite images showed that the long, thunderous eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai sends a huge mushroom of smoke and ash into the air and a shockwave into the surrounding waters.
According to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, a tsunami wave of 1.2 meters (four feet) was seen in Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the tsunami also reached the Pacific coast of that country, with waves that can reach heights of three meters (11 feet).
The 1.2-metre wave reached the far southern island of Amami Oshima and other areas along Japan’s Pacific coast, the agency said.
People moved to higher places on the islands of Tonga, an archipelago. Local resident Mere Tauffa said she was getting ready for dinner at her house when a volcano under the sea erupted – causing water to fall into her house.
“It was huge, the ground was shaking, our house was shaking. It came in waves. My younger brother thought the bombs were detonating,” Taufa told the Stuff news website.
He said that after a few minutes their house was flooded and he saw that the wall of the neighbor’s house had collapsed.
“We knew right away that a tsunami was coming. Just the water entering our house.
“You could just hear screams everywhere, people screaming for safety, for everyone to move to higher ground.”
King Taupo VI of Tonga was evacuated from the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa and taken by police convoy to a villa off the beach.
The eruption of the volcano lasted for at least eight minutes and ejected several kilometers of gas, ash and smoke into the air.
Residents in coastal areas were urged to move to higher ground after the eruption – which came just hours after the last tsunami warning on the island.
– ‘stay away’ –
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai Volcano is located about 65 kilometers north of the Tongan capital Nuku’alofa.
Its latest eruption was so intense, according to Suva City officials, that it was heard as a “roaring rumble” in Fiji more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) away – where images shared on social media showed the coast. Big waves were visible.
Tsunami warnings were issued for American Samoa, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu, Chile and Australia – where officials said a stretch of coastline, including Sydney, could be hit by tsunami waves.
People around the state of New South Wales were “advised to get out of the water and move away from the water’s edge immediately”.
A tsunami advisory was issued for the entire US West Coast – from the lowlands of California to the tip of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska – while tsunami waves triggered “slight flooding” in Hawaii, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
The US National Tsunami Warning Center wrote, “A tsunami is approaching. Remember: the first wave may not be that big. Move from shore to higher ground.”
Footage shared on social media shows a wave nearly washing a foot into a coastal gateway in the state of Oregon.
Canada issued a tsunami advisory for the province of British Columbia and urged people to stay off beaches and marinas.
Fiji officials warned residents to cover water collection tanks in case acid rain falls.
Victoria Kioa of the Tonga Public Service Commission said on Friday that people should “stay away from the warning areas which are low-lying coastal areas, reefs and beaches”.
And the head of Tonga Geological Services, Tanila Kula, urged people to stay indoors, wear masks when outside, and cover rainwater reservoirs and rainwater harvesting systems.
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