By RNZ
Underwater volcano Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai has erupted again, sending ash, steam and gas 20km into the air.
There is a tsunami warning in place for all the islands of the Kingdom of Tonga as the volcanic activity affects coastal water levels. People are advised to stay out of the water and away from the coast.
The maximum tsunami wave was recorded by the Nuku'alofa tide gauge at 12.30pm and was about 30cm, and sea level fluctuation has been observed.
#GOESWest captured another explosive eruption of #Tonga's (largely underwater) Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai #volcano in the south Pacific Ocean earlier today. Note the gravity waves rippling across the top of expanding ash cloud from the powerful ejection. https://t.co/csxvvIoM3v pic.twitter.com/vVojWCFcco
— UW-Madison CIMSS (@UWCIMSS) January 13, 2022
The volcano is located about 30km south-east of Fonuafo'ou island in Tonga.
Tonga Geological Services head Taaniela Kula said the eruption had a radius of 260km.
It was about seven times more powerful than the last eruption on December 20 last year and continuing to grow, Kula said.
Kula said people on the islands of Tongatapu, Ha'apai and Vava'u needed to stay indoors as much as possible, wear a mask if they were outside and cover rainwater reservoirs and rainwater harvesting systems.
Changes to seawater levels have also been detected on the south coast of Samoa as a result of this morning's eruption.
The volcano on the island of #HungaTonga in #Tonga 🇹🇴 has just explosively erupted 🌋 h/t @WxNB_ pic.twitter.com/HpBLB1gfK0
— Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) January 13, 2022
Ash fall had been witnessed in the islands of Ha'apai and domestic flights were on hold as a result, Kula said.
The volcano erupted intermittently in late December.
The National Emergency Management Agency says there is no warning for New Zealand.
- RNZ
Stole this footage from my cuzn of Hunga Tonga & Hunga Ha’apai where an undersea volcano erupted on Sunday night. pic.twitter.com/4ED8mpxmwk
— Alakihihifo Vailala (@alakihihifo) December 22, 2021