- The eruption of a submarine volcano near the island nation of Tonga has prompted tsunami warnings across much of the Pacific.
- A tsunami warning was also issued for all of Tonga, according to the local weather agency.
- Late on Saturday evening, a 1.2 meter high tsunami wave reached Japan, where the national weather agency warned of possible three meter waves.
Legend:
A white cloud rises over Tonga after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai underwater volcano erupted.
Reuters
Local media reported that tidal waves inundated properties on the main island of Tongatapu in the Tonga archipelago after the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcano. It had rained ash and telephone connections had failed. The extent of the damage was initially unclear late in the evening (local time).
According to media reports, Tonga’s King Tupou VI. brought to safety from the royal palace in the capital Nuku’alofa. According to the Australian Meteorological Service, a 1.2 meter high wave was observed in the city. The authorities of other Pacific countries also issued tsunami warnings, including Fiji, Samoa and New Zealand. People have been urged to stay away from coastal areas.
Japan’s weather agency said a 1.2-meter tsunami wave hit the southern island of Amami Osima around 11:55 p.m. local time on Saturday, before smaller waves were observed by other areas along Japan’s Pacific coast.
The east coast of Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido and the southwestern regions of Kochi and Wakayama also experienced a 0.9-meter wave just after midnight, the agency said. There were initially no reports of damage or injuries. Residents have been urged to exercise extreme caution until the tsunami warning is lifted.
The authorities are also warning of a tsunami for the west coast of North America. The US National Weather Service (NOAA) has lifted the tsunami warning for American Samoa. Based on the available data, it can be assumed that the tsunami danger is over, but that there could still be fluctuations in sea level, it said.
The volcano erupted on Friday. According to local authorities, only small tsunami waves of up to 30 centimeters were registered the day before. Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai has been active since December.