Tonga hit by Tsunami after volcanic eruption
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano sent shockwaves across the South Pacific
Tsunami waves caused by a giant underwater volcanic eruption have hit the Pacific country of Tonga on Saturday.
The surge wave reached a height of 80 centimeters (31 inches), according to the New Zealand climate website Harukai Gulf Weather, citing sea level monitoring data. There is no information yet on property damage or casualties.
Images posted on social media from Tonga showed the tsunami breach the shoreline, and move into the town.
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A tsunami warning sent residents scrambling to higher ground, report BBC.
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano sent shockwaves across the South Pacific.
Tonga's capital lies just 65km north of the volcano.
One Tongan resident, Mere Taufa, said the eruption hit as her family was preparing for dinner, and her younger brother thought bombs were exploding nearby.
"My first instinct was to take cover under the table, I grabbed my little sister, and screamed at my parents and others in the house to do the same," New Zealand news site Stuff.co.nz quoted her as saying.
Ms Taufa said the next thing she knew, water was rushing into their home.
"You could just hear screams everywhere, people screaming for safety, for everyone to get to higher ground," she added.
New Zealand, more than 2,000 kilometers away from the site of the eruption, has also issued a tsunami advisory.
New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency said parts of the country could expect "strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore."
Undersea volcano erupts
The eruption Saturday was the latest in a series from the undersea Hunga Tonga, Hunga Ha'apai volcano. Saturday's eruption is the second in only two days.
A previous eruption on Friday sent plumes of ash and smoke into the air, with smoke clouds extending up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) into the atmosphere.
The volcano had showed some intermittent activity through December last year. On Friday, people were advised by officials to stay home and protect drinking water and resources.
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