New significant volcanic activities at north of Tongatapu on Friday morning prompted a tsunami marine warning for Tonga in the afternoon, however Tonga MetService says this morning the threat has now passed.
The latest eruption had a radius of 260 km (161.5 miles), and sent ash, steam, and gas 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) into the air.
It was also about seven times more powerful than the previous eruption on Dec 20, 2021.
It triggered a 30 cm (one foot) unusual sea wave activities which were observed in Mango and at the Nuku’alofa waterfronts yesterday morning.
“Based on the observation data recorded from the tide gauge at Nuku’alofa it indicated that the state of the sea level is back to normal. The fluctuation of the sea level recorded in the tide gauge at Nuku’alofa was below 10cm over the past s6 hours”, Tonga Geological Services said this morning January 15.
“Therefore the tsunami marine warning previously indicated for the ‘Out Mu’omu’a in Ha’apai (Nomuka, Mango, Fonoifua) ‘Atata, ‘Eueiki, Tongatapu and ‘Eua coastal areas and waters are now cancelled”.
Last night residents throughout the kingdom mainly Tongatapu, Vava’u and Ha’apai shared dramatic photos of red-orange skies hanging over parts of the islands, from which the threatening volcanic eruption at the Hungas could be seen in the horizons.
