Tonga's capital Nuku’alofa could be destroyed if a Tsunami hits says a new research by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
The findings reveal the capital would likely to be sunk if an 8.7 magnitude earthquake strikes in the Tonga trench, One News reports.
According to the projections 25 minutes after the earthquake the first wave would roll in from the east – near the capital's harbour. When it hits the coast it would be around two and a half metres high, it says.
"Fifteen minutes later the second wave would come in, 4-5 metres high, and take out most of the town area".
"If we have a tsunami it will be very hard to save Nuku'alofa," Tonga's deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu told One news.
Leveni ‘Aho, Director of national emergency office told the News that "If you are looking at vulnerability here, Nuku'alofa is the highest risk because that is where the biggest bulk of the population is sitting, you are talking about forty-fifty thousand. We need to work on this and find out how best we can get people to safer ground and how quickly we can get the message out."
