Tonga volcano eruption and tsunami: No power, communications still down
A tsunami hit the Kingdom after the volcano erupted for eight minutes, throwing clouds of ash into the sky.
Waves flooded the capital, Nuku'alofa, where video footage has shown water engulfing buildings.
Communications with Tonga has been down since 6.30pm yesterday, with reports that power had been cut in the capital.
Tongan authorities should have a clearer picture this morning of the scale of the damage from Saturday's volcanic eruption and tsunami.
The New Zealand defence force is currently monitoring the situation in Tonga, and said it stands ready to assist if requested by the Tongan Government.
Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai on Friday, January 15, 2022 Photo: Tonga Geological Services
One-in-1000-year event, according to volcanologist
Scientists are predicting that Tonga's main island, Tongatapu, could be blanketed in ash this morning.
An Auckland University volcanologist, Shane Cronin, said the magma type erupted by Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai is called an 'intermediate composition' - similar to what comes from the Ruapehu volcano.
It was not especially rich in volatiles such as sulphur or fluorine, and as a result, this volcanic ash was not especially toxic.
However, he said, all volcanic ash could produce acid rain.
"Help will be needed to restore drinking water supplies."
Otago University geologist Marco Brenna estimated that Tonga's main island, Tongatapu, will be blanketed with a few millimetres to a few centimetres of ash today.
Tonga's Geological Services went out to the site on Friday, January 15, 2022 Photo: Tonga Geological Services
Dr Cronin said the Hunga eruption was a one-in-1000-year event.
Radiocarbon dating suggested one major eruption of this scale occurred about AD1100 and another in AD200, he said.
"This, along with other data from the volcanic ash records, suggests a recurrence interval of 900 to 1000 years for very large eruptions at the volcano.
"The current eruption seems to be one of these large events which fits with the timing since the last of these in [circa] AD1100."
(機械翻訳）
トンガ火山噴火と津波:電力なし、通信はまだダウン
火山が8分間噴火し、灰の雲が空に投げ込まれた後、津波が王国を襲った。
波が首都ヌクアロパに殺到し、ビデオ映像は水が建物を巻き込む様子を映し出している。
トンガとの通信は昨日の午後6時30分から減少しており、首都で電力が削減されたとの報告がある。
トンガ当局は今朝、土曜日の火山噴火と津波による被害の規模を明確に把握する必要があります。
ニュージーランド国防軍は現在、トンガの状況を監視しており、トンガ政府の要請があれば支援する用意がある、と述べた。
トンガの地質サービスは、2022年1月15日金曜日に現場に出ました写真:トンガ地質サービス
クローニン博士は、ハンガ噴火は1000年に1回の出来事だと言いました。
放射性炭素年代測定は、この規模の1つの主要な噴火がAD1100について、そしてAD200で別の大規模な噴火が起こったことを示唆した、と彼は言った。
「これは、火山灰の記録からの他のデータと一緒に、火山での非常に大規模な噴火のための900〜1000年の再発間隔を示唆しています。
「現在の噴火は、AD1100の最後のタイミングに合ったこれらの大規模な出来事の1つであるようです。
