The images show high waves along the coast of the Polynesian state. Huge cloud from the eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano can be seen from space.

It is not yet known whether there have been deaths or injuries.

American Samoa

The National Weather Service, the US counterpart to KNMI, has issued a tsunami warning for American Samoa. People are asked to flee to the higher parts of the island.

A tsunami warning has also been issued for New Zealand. Strong currents are expected in the North Island, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.

ring of fire

The Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano is located on the border of two oceanic plates, the Australian and the Pacific, and is part of the so-called Ring of Fire. This is a vast area of ​​active volcanoes that extends across the entire Pacific region.

What happened here is that one of the plates “sinked” under the other, Poinradar meteorologist Brian Verhoeven explains. This resulted in very strong volcanic activity that led to this eruption. And it was very powerful, and the shock wave was very visible from the satellites.

The eruption of this largely submerged volcano raised the water, as it were, creating a tsunami.