A tsunami has hit the coast of the island of Tonga, in the South Pacific, without so far having reported possible victims and after registering a violent volcanic eruption, according to local media reports.
the big waves they hit houses and buildings located on the beachfront and quickly flooded the vicinity, according to videos posted on social networks by witnesses who had taken refuge on the roof of their houses.
Local authorities have issued a tsunami warning for the entire country following the eruption of the underwater volcano Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai, about 65 kilometers from the island of Tongatapu, the main one of this insular nation populated by some 71,000 inhabitants.
According to witnesses, the volcano erupted at 5:20 p.m. local time (4:20 GMT) and launched a huge cloud of ash in the air, collects the Radio New Zealand portal.
The waves have also hit part of Vanua Levu Island, in northeast Fiji, while the Samoan authorities have issued an alert before a possible rise in waters.
The New Zealand Emergency Management Agency indicated on Twitter that they expect “strong currents and unusual unpredictable swells” on the north and east coast of the North Island and the Chatham Islands of the oceanic country.
The Tonga Meteorological Service published on its Facebook profile a shocking satellite image of the cloud caused by the underwater volcano, which already showed signs of increasing activity the day before and which also momentarily triggered the tsunami alert.
The authorities have asked the entire population settled on the coasts go to high areas to shelter from the onslaught of the waves Y wear masks in the rain of ash.
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