Undersea Volcano – Meter High Waves in Japan – Tidal Waves in the Pacific Area

The massive eruption of a submarine volcano near the island nation of Tonga has triggered tidal waves in the Pacific region. Tsunami waves were recorded not only in Tonga, but also in New Zealand, Japan and Fiji. Flooding in Santa Cruz, California, has also been attributed to the outbreak. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Sunday there had been no official reports of injuries or deaths. The USA and the United Nations promised help.

The eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai subsea volcano off Tonga on Friday had prompted tsunami warnings in many parts of the Pacific. People have been urged to stay away from coastal areas.

A tsunami hit the north side of Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa, “significantly.” According to the Australian Meteorological Service, the wave was 1.2 meters high. Ardern said boats and boulders washed ashore and buildings were damaged. Tonga was covered in volcanic dust as a result of the volcanic eruption, and communication links with the island kingdom in the South Pacific were restricted because an undersea cable was damaged. Local media in Tonga reported an ash shower, flooding of houses and disruption of telephone and electricity connections.

Ardern said authorities are working to restore communications as soon as possible. At the moment you get “unfortunately not much information from the outer islands (…). Tonga’s water supply is a priority. The New Zealand Defense Forces would attempt to launch a surveillance flight on Monday. Ash was sighted at an altitude of almost 20 kilometers, which is currently making flying unsafe. A naval ship was also put on standby to help if needed.

As Japanese media reported early Sunday morning (local time), tidal waves of around one meter high were registered on the coast of northeastern Iwate Prefecture and in southwestern Amami. There were initially no reports of damage or injuries. Residents have been urged to exercise extreme caution until the tsunami warning is lifted.

Tsunami waves were also reported from New Zealand, where several boats sank at a marina in Northland after a 1.3 meter tidal wave. Save The Children Fiji executive director Shairana Ali said Fiji and Vanuatu were hit by tidal and tsunami waves. There was damage in the coastal areas, but no fatalities. According to authorities, ash also fell over parts of Fiji, around 600 kilometers from the volcano. People have been warned to protect water supplies, stay indoors and wear a mask when going outside.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply concerned”. The UN is closely monitoring the situation and stands ready to provide support. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted: “The United States stands ready to provide support to our Pacific neighbors.”

The US National Weather Service (NOAA) announced on Saturday that the effects could also be felt on parts of the west coast of the country and in Alaska. A tsunami advisory was also issued for Hawaii. So far, however, no damage has been reported there, it said.

Meanwhile, numerous residents of the Tonga Islands fled to higher ground on Saturday. “A 1.2 meter high tsunami wave was observed in Nuku’alofa,” said the Australian Meteorological Service. As local media reported, citing residents, the tidal wave flooded numerous houses in the island’s capital.

“The ground shook, the whole house shook. It came in waves. My younger brother thought bombs were going off near us,” Mere Taufa, from Tonga, told Stuff. A few minutes later, water entered her house and she saw the wall of a neighboring house collapse.

Authorities representative Victorina Kioa urged people to “stay away from all dangerous places, that is, from beaches, reefs and all flat stretches of coast”. The island nation’s king, Tupou VI, was reportedly taken from his palace in Nuku’alofa to a villa far from the coast.

Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai Volcano is located on an uninhabited island about 40 miles from Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa. It had already erupted on Friday, and a tsunami warning was lifted shortly thereafter. The eruption on Saturday lasted eight minutes and was so strong that it could be heard “like a distant rumble of thunder” even on the Fiji Islands more than 800 kilometers away, according to officials from Fiji.