pn840. Massive Volcanic Eruption in Tonga

MORE INFORMATION 17.1.22

The volcano is usually not much to look at. It consists of two small uninhabited islands, Hunga-Ha’apai and Hunga-Tonga, poking about 100m above sea level 65km north of Tonga’s capital Nuku‘alofa. But hiding below the waves is a massive volcano, around 1800m high and 20km wide, with a caldera,  a crater-like depression, around 5km across. Earlier eruptions suggest this is one of the massive explosions the volcano is capable of producing roughly every thousand years. What we can expect to happen now? We’re still in the middle of this major eruptive sequence and many aspects remain unclear, partly because the island is currently obscured by ash clouds. Read more from Shane Cronin, Professor of Earth Sciences,  University of Auckland.

Massive eruptions from Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai, 60 plus kilometres north of Tonga's main island, Tongatapu, are forcing ash, steam and gas 20 km into the air, dropping small, black stones on Tongatapu, and sparking a tsunami that is likely to hit NZ's north-east coast sometime tomorrow.  The explosions could be heard in Fiji and Samoa, hundreds of kilometres away.   

This report and photos from Mataitonga, Tonga's leading newspaper:

Startling images from Vava’u and Ha’apai islands this evening show otherworldly red-orange skies hanging over parts of the islands, from which the threatening volcanic eruption at the Hungas could be seen in the sky.

Apocalyptic photo taken in Vava’u. Photo/Gladys Guttenbeil (Facebook)

Neiafu and Mango island residents shared photos of the incidents on Facebook.

Tonga is now under a state of tsunami marine alert  after large volcanic eruptions last night continued this morning causing some abnormal tides and waves in Tongatapu and Mango island seas.

Social media users are drawing parallels between the Hungas volcanic activities, red skies and the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation.

Apocalyptic photo taken in Vava’u. Photo/Gladys Guttenbeil

Tonga Geological Services said this morning that volcanic plume of ash, steam and gas were detected.

“Eruption is forecasted to be imminent with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere like, or eruption is underway with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere”.

It said satellite images showed “ash plume at altitude 5-20 km above sea level”.

Why are skies red at night?

According to https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ a red sky appears when dust and small particles are trapped in the atmosphere by high pressure. This scatters blue light leaving only red light to give the sky its notable appearance. A red sky at sunset means high pressure is moving in from the west, so therefore the next day will usually be dry and pleasant.

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