On January 14, a colossal explosion in the southern part of Pacific Ocean made the world sit up and pay attention. It looked like a small but very visible blister bursting open on Earth.
The event was a massive underwater volcanic eruption near Tonga, a Polynesian country of 170 South Pacific islands, which is home to nearly 1,00,000 people. Only 34 of the islands are inhabited. The explosion took place on an uninhabited island known as Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai.
WHERE IS TONGA?
Tonga is situated around 800 km east of the Fiji islands, 2,380 km from New Zealand and nearly 5,200 km from Australia.
Tonga islands marked on Map. Photo: Google Earth
This volcano had been erupting for a few weeks. But the world or the residents of the nearby islands weren’t expecting the volcano to burst so aggressively. While the magnitude of the earthquake triggered from the eruption has not been determined yet, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates the eruption at a surface-wave magnitude of 5.8.
The eruption was such that shockwaves were felt almost around the world. In Peru in South America, two people have been swept away in huge waves triggered by the explosion. The tsunami waves were felt in California, Alaska and Hawaii in the US. Australia and New Zealand, countries near the Tonga islands remained on high Tsunami alert.
Shockwaves were felt through Japan, Britain and even in India, weather stations recorded a spike.
Automatic weather station at Panaji also recorded a rise in pressure by 1.3hpa between 20.45 and 21.00 hrs IST on 15th January, supposedly because of the shockwaves from Hunga Tonga volcano eruption. pic.twitter.com/fmE1Hng7Yg
— IMDGoa (@GoaImd) January 16, 2022
Now, aid from New Zealand and elsewhere is slowly reaching the Tonga islands. While there has not been any large-scale destruction to lives as expected, the ash from the eruption has polluted the air and water for the residents. So far, Tonga has reported the deaths of three people, two locals and one British national.
Here are 10 striking videos and photos from the Tonga volcanic eruption:
1. DESTRUCTION INSIDE A TONGA ISLAND VILLAGE
These pictures show locals in the Kanokupolu village on the island of Tongatapu inspecting the damage done by the eruption. Several houses have either collapsed or been crushed by trees.
Photo: My Tongan/Facebook
Photo: My Tongan/Facebook
2. SATELLITE IMAGES OF VOLCANIC ERUPTION
Here are the satellite images and the volcanic eruption as seen from the space:
Our amazing Earth - today's eruption of of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano, from space. The shockwave through our atmosphere amazes me.(from https://t.co/zPzA8IWzjg) pic.twitter.com/FecfomIhnO
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) January 15, 2022
The violent eruption a few hours ago of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano captured by satellites GOES-West and Himawari-8. pic.twitter.com/PzV5v9apF6
— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) January 15, 2022
3. THE BEFORE-AND-AFTER IMAGES
Here are some before-and-after pictures and videos of the volcanic eruption. While most parts of Tonga islands have been covered in grey ash and smoke, the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai island which was clearly visible earlier is nearly underwater. The mouth of the volcano which was also seen above water earlier is now completely underwater.
Here is a sequence of @planet imagery leading up the massive eruption in #Tonga (images 1–3), & post-eruption (image 4). Hunga Tonga & Hunga Ha'apai were 2 separate islands that connected from the growth of the volcano between them ~7 yrs ago. They are now disconnected again. pic.twitter.com/gnijplvteE
— Dr. Tanya Harrison (@tanyaofmars) January 18, 2022
These are some of the first images out of #Tonga, showing the impact of the violent volcanic eruption. They show the Pacific island nation before and after it was covered in ash.Scientists are working to assess the environmental impact and how long-lasting any damage may be. pic.twitter.com/joMxivgnEN
— Pattrn (@pattrn) January 18, 2022
4. THE HUGE PLUME OF SMOKE
Following the massive eruption, a huge mushroom-shaped plume of smoke rose from Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Island on January 14, 2022. This picture was clicked at 5.14 pm. It almost eerily resembles the mushroom-shaped plume of smoke caused by the Hiroshima-Nagasaki nuclear bombing. NASA scientists said that the Tonga volcanic explosion was in fact more powerful than a nuclear bomb explosion.
Tonga volcanic eruption (left) and Hiroshima nuclear bombing (right). Photo: Tonga Geological Services and Wikimedia Commons
I can't fathom seeing the #tonga Volcanic eruption in real-time from boat. This is insane.pic.twitter.com/1dXRa0lX25
— Doc V (@MJVentrice) January 15, 2022
5. WAVES CRASH ONTO A COAST OF A TONGAN ISLAND
Netizens posted videos of big waves making their way towards the coast of a Tonga island and inundating a residential area.
Stay safe everyone ?? pic.twitter.com/OhrrxJmXAW
— Dr Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau (@sakakimoana) January 15, 2022
6. FLOODING ON TONGAN ISLANDS
Netizens captured knee-deep flooding in villages on the Tongan islands.
Video #2, flood waters rush the streets. pic.twitter.com/e6tNE5x9Bx
— Doge (@IntelDoge) January 15, 2022
7. ASH AND SMOKE IN THE AIR
The ash from the volcanic eruption has polluted the air and water on Tongan islands. People on the islands mostly rely on rainwater for drinking water. However, now rainwater has been polluted with ash.
Raining ash and tiny pebbles, darkness blanketing the sky. pic.twitter.com/hAaiWATYKE
— Dr Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau (@sakakimoana) January 15, 2022
8. EXPLOSION CAUSES MASSIVE SONIC BOOM
The volcanic explosion was heard and captured on a Tongan island. It was also heard in a village on the Fiji islands.
Screen recorded this from Facebook. One of the blasts hitting Tonga pic.twitter.com/ApeORPiAg1
— Mike (@205mph) January 15, 2022
Around 5pm today in Ravitaki village, Fiji. Capturing the sound of volcano eruption from Tonga vc:- Ana Naisoro pic.twitter.com/yfKR0VKIB9
— ??The Ratu Seru?? (@MrCombs679) January 15, 2022
Tonga Volcano eruption heard from Lakeba, Fiji ??? #TongaVolcano pic.twitter.com/qc9ISL25QX
— Portia Dugu (@portiajessene) January 15, 2022
9. HUGE WAVES NEAR ECUADORIAN COAST
The impact of the volcanic eruption was felt in various parts of the world. Here is a video of a massive wave rising off the coast of Ecuador, a country in South America.
Woooow, this was the Tonga #Tsunami off the Ecuadorian coast over the water. Crazy from this perspective. pic.twitter.com/l4XE1m3OhV
— Kyle Thiem (@Kyle_Thiem) January 16, 2022
10. FLOODING IN PERU
Peru was another South American country to be affected by the Tongan volcanic eruption. Flooding on the coast of Peru took several beachgoers by surprise on January 16. Two people were killed in the floods.
Video cortesía Serenazgo de Paracas. pic.twitter.com/RWjSzQOULR
— Yamil Abusabal (@YamilAbusabal) January 15, 2022
While the volcanic eruption has calmed down now, and not much damage seems to be done, there is still the fear that a larger explosion could be coming soon. The underwater volcanic eruption can even last for a few days, months or years altogether.
Given the impact of the explosion felt for miles away, the world is concerned whether there will be another massive explosion and subsequent earthquake and tsunami.
The Pacific Ring of Fire with the Tonga trench marked. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano sits in what is called the 'Pacific Ring of Fire’. It is the region known for the world’s most active volcanoes.