PACIFIC OCEAN – The powerful eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai submarine volcano caused a tsunami in the Tonga Islands on Saturday, causing extensive damage but no casualties. The threat of tidal waves which concerned several countries is “generally passed” this Sunday. Follow the latest news.
E. Ro with AFP –
THREAT “Globally past”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said overnight (03:00 GMT) that the tidal wave threat had “generally passed” for countries bordering the Pacific Ocean, although slight variations in sea level remain possible for a few hours.
MAJOR DAMAGE IN TONGA
The tsunami caused extensive damage but no casualties. “The tsunami had a significant impact on the northern coastline of Nuku’alofa, with boats and large rocks washed ashore,” said Jacinda Ardern. The New Zealand Prime Minister did not specify whether there had been damage in the other islands of the archipelago.
Tonga needs a water supply, she added, because “the ash cloud has caused contamination.” New Zealand will send a military reconnaissance aircraft to fly over the area on Monday if the volcanic ash cloud permits.
THREAT “Globally past”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said overnight (03:00 GMT) that the tidal wave threat had “generally passed” for countries bordering the Pacific Ocean, although slight variations in sea level remain possible for a few hours.
SPECTACULAR
The tsunami that followed the eruption of an underwater volcano in particular caused panic in the Fiji Islands
VIDEO – Volcanic eruption causes tsunami in Fiji and series of warnings
“LEAVE THE BEACHES”
In the United States, the weather forecasting service recommended “leaving beaches, ports and marinas” in the areas concerned, while specifying with “relief” that the American islands of Hawaii did not report damage.
The states of California, Oregon and Washington could be affected, as well as Alaska and the Canadian province of British Columbia, the NWS said.
“The main impacts expected are strong rip currents and flooding of coasts and low-lying areas,” according to the National Weather Service.
JAPAN FEARS 3-METRE WAVES
A tsunami reached Japan late Saturday evening, where the national meteorological agency warned of possible three-meter-high waves, after a volcano erupted in the Tonga archipelago on Friday.
The agency said a 4-foot wave hit the southern island of Amami Oshima around 11:55 p.m. local time (1455 GMT) on Saturday, before other areas along Japan’s Pacific coast observed. smaller waves.
The eastern coasts of Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido, as well as the southwestern regions of Kochi and Wakayama also recorded a 0.9-meter-high wave shortly after midnight, the agency said. meteorological.
TSUNAMI REACHES JAPAN
A tsunami reached Japan late Saturday evening and waves three meters high are feared, after the eruption of a volcano in the Tonga archipelago, announced the National Meteorological Agency.
The agency said a 1.2-meter tsunami reached the southern island of Amami Oshima around 11:55 p.m. local time (1455 GMT) on Saturday, before other areas along Japan’s Pacific coast observed. smaller waves.
A spectacular eruption and the specter of a devastating tsunami. After “minor floods” in Hawaii, tsunami warnings were issued Saturday morning for the west coast of the United States, according to the US weather services. These alerts come after Friday’s eruption of a volcano in the Tonga archipelago.
“Leave the beaches, ports and marinas” in the areas concerned, recommends the National Weather Service (NWS), which specifies with “relief” that the American islands of Hawaii did not report any damage.
California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska could be affected
Several states could be affected by the tsunami, including California, Oregon and Washington, as well as Alaska and the Canadian province of British Columbia, said the NWS. “The main impacts expected are strong rip currents and flooding of coasts and low-lying areas”, warns the weather service on Twitter.
Tsunami warnings have also been issued for Fiji and Samoa, New Zealand and Australia. The Australian authorities have notably asked the population of Sydney and its region, New South Wales, to “to get out of the water, and to move away from the edge of the water”.
In Chile, the National Emergency Situations Office has warned of the possibility that a “minor tsunami” does not reach Easter Island and other Chilean archipelagos. “As a precautionary measure, in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, the San Félix Islands, Easter Island and Chilean Antarctica it is requested, due to the eruption of a volcano in the Tonga Islands, to leave the areas of beaches where a minor tsunami could occur”, said Onemi.
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A few hours later, Japan, in turn, warned of the threat of this tsunami. Waves of three meters high are to be feared, warned the National Meteorological Agency. A 1.2-meter tsunami has already reached the southern island of Amami Oshima around 11:55 p.m. local time on Saturday, before other areas along Japan’s Pacific coast saw smaller waves.
Residents of the Tonga Islands fled to higher ground on Saturday as a nearly 1.2 meter tsunami was triggered by a new eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano. The eruption lasted eight minutes and was so loud it was heard “like distant thunder” in the Fiji Islands, more than 800 km away, Fijian authorities said. The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano is located on one of the uninhabited islands of Tonga, about 65 km from the country’s capital Nuku’alofa.
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