On Saturday, an underwater volcano off the coast of Tonga erupted, creating massive waves in numerous South Pacific islands and triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in Japan. Footage on social media showed waves crashing into coastal residences.
In the early hours of Sunday, Japan’s meteorological service issued tsunami warnings, predicting waves as high as three metres (9.84 feet) in the Amami islands to the south. There had previously been reports of waves of almost a metre.
NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster, claimed that no damage or injuries had been reported, stopping its regular programming to report on the tsunami warning issued by the country’s meteorological office, which covered the whole eastern coast of the Japanese island.
In a press conference, a representative from the Japan Meteorological Agency warned people not to approach the sea until the tsunami advisory and more serious tsunami warnings had been cancelled.
He said that the observed shift in sea levels did not match the usual pattern of tsunamis after earthquakes.
Tsunami waves were seen in Tonga’s capital and American Samoa’s capital when the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai undersea volcano erupted at 0410 GMT, according to a US-based tsunami monitor.
According to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, the volcano, which is around 65 kilometres (40 miles) north of Nuku’alofa, triggered a 1.2-metre (four-foot) tsunami wave.
The bureau stated that it was still monitoring the situation, but that no tsunami warning has been issued for Australia’s mainland, islands, or territories.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that tsunami waves of 83 cm (2.7 feet) were recorded by gauges in the Tongan city of Nuku’alofa, while two-foot waves were witnessed in Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa.
The government of Fiji has issued a tsunami warning, advising citizens to stay away from the coast “due to high currents and dangerous waves.”
New Zealand’s disaster management organisation issued a tsunami warning for the country’s north and east coasts, predicting strong and irregular currents as well as unpredictable surges along those shorelines.
According to Tonga Geological Services, the volcano ejected ash, steam, and gas up to 20 kilometres (12 miles) into the air on Friday. It has a 260-kilometer radius (160 miles).
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu issued a tsunami warning for the Pacific coasts of the United States and Canada.
Tsunami waves are likely to hit the Oregon and Washington coasts soon, according to the National Weather Service. Earlier this week, high waves were reported in Alaska and Hawaii.
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