Prime Minister Scott Morrison has offered to provide 'whatever support is requested' from Tonga, following yesterday's volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami. DETAILS: 9News
Dave Snider, the tsunami warning coordinator for the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, said it was very unusual for a volcanic eruption to affect an entire ocean basin, and the spectacle was both "humbling and scary.
"Several tsunami alerts for Australia's east coast have now been cancelled. In Australia, warnings for Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland are no longer in effect, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. The warning for Macquarie Island is also no longer in effect. Bondi Beach was evacuated last night after a marine tsunami warning following an underwater volcano eruption near Tonga. However, warnings continue for the marine environment in New South Wales, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, with a wave of 1.2m recorded on Norfolk Island. A land threat is when there is believed to be a mainland threat from inundation of the wave pushing through. A marine threat is likely to cause unusual currents and rips and is mainly a danger to anyone in the water or on the foreshore. Tonga's King Tupou VI was evacuated by a convoy of police and military troops, according local news reports, and tsunami warnings have been issued stretching as far as Australia, including evacuations ordered on Lord Howe Island. Just before midnight, NSW State Emergency Service ordered the evacuation of low-lying parts of Lord Howe Island. The BoM said there was a "threat of a major land inundation, flooding, dangerous rips, waves and strong ocean currents". The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano near Tonga erupted at 3.10pm AEDT on Saturday. Tsunami waves have already been observed. Crowds of people headed to Bondi Beach, despite being warned to stay our of the ocean. An SES van was parked nearby. The Nutri-Grain IronMan & IronWoman Series, was cancelled. "The size of these waves means the threat is for the marine environment for the east coast of Australia, and for land on Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island; however the situation will be closely monitored and warnings updated as required," the BoM said. "People in land warning zones are strongly advised to move 1 kilometre inland or go to high ground at least 10 metres above sea level." Evacuations are not necessary for marine warning zones, but people are advised to leave the water and move away from the immediate water's edge, the bureau said. "Tsunami waves are more powerful than the same size beach waves. There will be many waves and the first wave may not be the largest." Tsunami advisories were earlier issued for Japan, Hawaii, Alaska and the US Pacific coast. The US Geological Survey estimated the eruption caused the equivalent of a magnitude 5.8 earthquake. Scientists said tsunamis generated by volcanoes rather than earthquakes are relatively rare.Video posted to social media showed large waves washing ashore in coastal areas, swirling around homes and buildings.Powerful waves have been seen hitting the shores of the Pacific nation as satellite footage showed the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apaiThe Matangi Tonga news site reported scientists had observed massive explosions, thunder and lightning near the volcano after it started erupting. The site said satellite images showed a five-kilometre plume of ash, steam and gas rising into the air to about 20 kilometres. Satellite images showed a huge eruption, a plume of ash, steam and gas captured from the space rising like a mushroom above the blue Pacific waters. The US StormWatch account described the eruption as "one of the most violent" ever captured on satellite. Satellite images taken by Himawari-8 shows an undersea volcano eruption at the Pacific nation of Tonga. The Tonga Meteorological Services said a tsunami warning was in effect for all of the archipelago, and data from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre showed waves of 80 centimetres had been detected. Authorities in the nearby island nations of Fiji and Samoa also issued warnings, telling people to avoid the shoreline due to strong currents and dangerous waves. The Japan Meteorological Agency said there may be a slight swelling of the water along the Japanese coasts, but it is not expected to cause any damage. The US StormWatch account described the eruption as "one of the most violent" ever captured on satellite. The explosion of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano was the latest in a series of spectacular eruptions.news site reported that a convoy of police and military troops evacuated Tonga's King Tupou VI from his palace near the shore. He was among the many residents who headed for higher ground. The explosion of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano was the latest in a series of spectacular eruptions. A Twitter user identified as Dr. Faka'iloatonga Taumoefolau posted video showing waves crashing ashore. "Can literally hear the volcano eruption, sounds pretty violent," he wrote, adding in a later post: "Raining ash and tiny pebbles, darkness blanketing the sky." Fijian TV reporter Jese Tuisinu said on Twitter at 6.40pm that Tonga was "literally dark", sharing a video that showed people trying to reach safe ground. "Any Australians concerned about people in Tonga should contact DFAT on 1300 555 135 or +61 2 6261 3305."In a statement Fiji's Ministerial Resources Department advised people to stay out of the water and off the shore, particularly residents living in low lying coastal areas.The National Emergency Management Agency said some parts of New Zealand could expect "strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore following a large volcanic eruption." New Zealand's military has also said it was monitoring the situation and remained on standby, ready to help if asked.The volcano is located about 64 kilometres north of the capital, Nuku'alofa. Back in late 2014 and early 2015, a series of eruptions in the area created a small new island and disrupted international air travel to the Pacific archipelago for several days.
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