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Volcanoes
World

Tongans flee tsunami following underwater volcanic eruption

  • Social media footage showed waves crashing into homes after powerful eruption heard in other countries; tsunami alerts triggered
  • Eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai, about 65km from Tonga’s capital Nuku’alofa, caused 1.2 metre tsunami wave

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An eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano, in the South Pacific’s Tonga. The eruption on Saturday, the second in two days, was the latest in a series of eruptions from the underwater volcano. Photo: Tonga Meterological Services handout, via EPA-EFE
ReutersandAgence France-Presse

Frightened Tongans fled to higher ground on Saturday after a massive volcanic eruption, heard in neighbouring countries, triggered the area’s second tsunami in as many days with social media footage showing waves crashing into homes.

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“A 1.2 metre tsunami wave has been observed at Nuku’alofa,” Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology tweeted. The maximum tsunami wave recorded following an explosion on Friday was 30 centimetres.

The latest eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano, coming hours after Friday’s tsunami warning was lifted, triggered tsunami alerts for several South Pacific island nations including Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand, warning people to stay away from coastal areas due to the possibility of strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges.

Jese Tuisinu, a television reporter at Fiji One, posted a video on Twitter showing large waves washing ashore, with people trying to flee from the oncoming waves in their cars. “It is literally dark in parts of Tonga and people are rushing to safety following the eruption,” he said.

Mere Taufa in Tonga said she was in her house getting ready for dinner when the volcano erupted.

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