It was just minutes before the tsunami, a massive shockwave from Tonga’s volcanic eruption struck shore.
In the footage taken from 40 miles away from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai underwater volcano, a huge plume of ash is shown rising over the horizon, filling the sky before a deafening boom is heard.
The shockwave causes the film maker and any other witnesses to be visibly shaken. They immediately run into land and start running away from the water.
Pictured: Video footage captured moments before a shockwave from the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai underwater volcano struck Tonga’s shores
This footage showed the enormous plume of steam and ash rising from the volcano just moments before Tonga was shocked by the tsunami.
The video begins with the enormous ash cloud that rises into the sky.
As he pans across sky to show the size of plume coming from volcano, the person filming says “check that out!”
A loud crack suddenly sounds in the air. The filmer, along with others at the beach, shouts out in shock as the shockwave damages them across the ocean.
A young man, looking like a child, immediately turns from the water to run in-land. After only a few seconds, others follow suit, probably after realising how dangerous they were.
The people are heard swearing and panicking as they flee. After the footage is cut, one of the film crew members appears to be running inside a structure and can be heard speaking with a woman.
Tonga was hit by a tsunami just minutes after Saturday’s shockwave. It is not yet known how massive the damage was.
Three people have been confirmed to be dead from the destruction of their homes, which were located on Tonga’s smaller outer islands. The government issued its first updates Tuesday since the tragedy.
Pictured: A plume rises over Tonga after the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted in this satellite image taken by Himawari-8, a Japanese weather satellite operated by Japan Meteorological Agency on January 15, 2022
Video gran shows how the enormous plume of ash, steam and water rising from the ocean at Hunga Tonga Ha’apai (Tonga), January 14, 2022
The dead include a 65-year-old woman on Mango Island, a 49-year-old man on Nomuka Island, and 50-year-old Briton Angela Glover who was found dead on Tongatapu Island on Monday.
According to the government, all of Mango Island’s villages have been destroyed by the tsunami. Only two structures remain on Fonoifua Island. Namuka Island has also suffered ‘extensive damages’.
Rescue operations including evacuations of Mango, Fonoifua and Atata islands are underway, with ‘a number of’ injuries also reported – though government officials could not say how many.
Since Saturday’s eruption of the Hunga-Tonga volcano, communications from Tonga (a remote group of Pacific islands home to 105,000 people) have been sporadic.
It caused a tsunami and covered the nearby islands in ash. The earthquake also cut an underwater internet cable that connected the country to the outside world.
Although initial reports were positive, the situation has become more dire. Tongatapu’s aid workers say that the deaths are likely to be minimal, however fears continue to grow for the hundreds of residents of smaller islands.
On Monday, reconnaissance planes of New Zealand and Australian air force flew over some islands to give a look at the living conditions of survivors. They saw moon-like landscapes, flattened buildings, and people sleeping under tarpaulins.
Damage to the main airport and port of the island is causing delays in aid efforts. The strict zero-Covid country policy may also be limiting the flow of humanitarian aid. Workers could be quarantined to avoid a ‘tsunami’.
Tonga is proud to have only one confirmed case from a New Zealander who came into Tonga in October 2013. It plans on keeping that number low. Australia and New Zealand ministers warned each other that rescuers will need to be prepared for the virus protocol.
Tonga has been circling by Australian and New Zealand aircraft force planes. As the extent of destruction to these islands is slowly revealed, it’s not surprising that the Australian and New Zealand military airforces are also circling the area. The picture above shows one of the smaller islands that appears grey, because it has been covered in ash.
A military reconnaissance aircraft captured this image of a Tongan village that was inundated by ash. The beach is also showing signs of damage from tsunami waves which washed onto it following the massive volcanic eruption.
Tonga gave its first update about rescue efforts following the tsunami. This included information on which islands have been most affected, and what is being done to evacuate them.
Mango Island’s buildings have all been demolished and tarpaulin shelters can be seen on Mango Island.
Satellite images reveal how Kanokupolu, a village on the hard-hit western side of Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu, has been almost wiped out as ash turns the landscape grey
Satellite images reveal how the village of Kanokupolu, on the main island of Tongatapu, was completely washed away in a tsunami which struck after a volcanic eruption late Saturday
Satellite images reveal damage caused by the eruption and tsunami at Tonga’s main port in the capital Nuku’alofa, which is now blanketed in ash with many buildings damaged or destroyed
Satellite images of Niutoua, a village on Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu, show how it has been completely destroyed with all buildings washed away during a tsunami triggered by the eruption
Satellite images before and after an eruption show how Tonga has damaged a village located on one of its islands. The surrounding area is also covered in ash.
According to the office of the Prime Minister, tsunami waves up to 50 feet high struck the Ha’apia Island group and Tongatapu on the West Coast.
56 homes were damaged or destroyed on the west coast of the main Island. Residents fled to evacuation centers.
Mango is located 43 miles away from Hunga Tonga’s volcano. This volcanic eruption sent tsunami waves over the Pacific Ocean after it burst with a loud blast 1,430 miles to the east in New Zealand.
A rescue mission began Sunday on Atata Island, with a population estimated at 100.
It stated that ‘the wharves damage and the ash covering runways continue to pose challenges to air and sea transportation’. Satellite phones were able to make limited communication, however other areas are still not accessible.
Tongan Navy had sent health teams, tents, water and food to Ha’apai Islands. Additional aid was also sent Tuesday to help with the serious damage caused to Mango and Fonoifua islands.
Australia’s Minister for Pacific Zed Seselja claimed that Tongan officials wanted to help evacuate residents from Ha’apai, a low-lying island group.
According to the United Nations, a distress signal had been reported in Ha’apai (where Mango is situated). According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, (OCHA), the Tongan Navy reported that waves were enveloping the region at 5-10m (15-30 feet) height.
Atata, Mango, and Hunga Tonga Ha’apai are located between 30- and 40 miles from Hunga Tonga Ha’apai’s volcano. This explosion on Saturday night, which was audible 1,400 miles away in New Zealand generated a huge plume of ash that emitted into the atmosphere and caused tsunami waves to rippling throughout the Pacific.
Atata’s population is approximately 100, and Mango about 50. Tu’ihalangingie stated that it was alarming to learn the wave may have passed through Atata at one end.
Tu’ihalangingie verified that NZDF pictures were unofficially posted to a Facebook website.
According to the New Zealand High Commission, a thick layer is laid over the islands. They also added that they were working with small islands in order to establish communications.
Buildings and trees on the island of Nomuka, Tonga, are seen covered in ash in an image which first appears to have been taken in black and white but is in fact in colour
In this photo taken from an Air Force reconnaissance plane in New Zealand, buildings are covered in ash. Water damage is visible along the coast of Tongan islands.
A New Zealand military aircraft captured an image of damage done to Fonoifua Island in Tonga.
An image from a New Zealand military plane reveals damage to Nomuka Island, Tonga, after the eruption
Satellite images show a district of the Tongan capital Nuku’alofa before and after the eruption, with the buildings and trees turning grey after being blanketed in volcanic ash
Satellite photos of Hunga Tonga volcano’s peak show that it was almost completely destroyed by an explosive eruption on Saturday night. Only one piece is visible above the sea.
Tonga’s Nomuka Islands is shown before and afterwards the volcanic eruption, which left widespread destruction to the villages of the island and covered it in ash. This gave the island a greyish colour and made it look dark grey.
You can see the Hunga-Tonga volcano’s peak before and after its eruption which destroyed much of the cone
Tonga’s airport is not safe for aid flights. The runway has been inundated by ash and workers will need to remove it manually. Officials say that it won’t be possible to land an emergency flight at the main airport until Wednesday.
Tonga’s main runway is cleared of workers, in preparation for the arrival of humanitarian flights. However officials caution that this could not happen until Wednesday.
Although the main airport of the archipelago, Fua’amotu International Airport was spared by Saturday’s tsunami and eruption, heavy ashfall has prevented full operation, which is hampering international relief efforts.
U.N. humanitarian officials said Tongan officials said clearing runways would take many days, as they were being cleared manually. They said this by Wednesday.
OCHA said that Tongatapu’s western coast had seen’significant damage’ and had evacuated residents. OCHA also stated in an update that OCHA had warned radio stations against price gouging as a result of concerns over supply shortages.
Today, Tongan officials are expected to request help from Australia and New Zealand. Both nations are equipped with C-130 military planes and emergency supplies.
“The main priority is to get supplies to Tonga, and the airport is currently the greatest constraint.” Seselja indicated that there was still considerable ash.
Tonga has a total of 176 islands. 36 of these are inhabited. It is home to a population that exceeds 104,494 inhabitants.
Since the destruction of its primary undersea communication cable, the archipelago was largely isolated from the outside world.
Subcom, an American-based private company, was contracted to fix various subsea cable in the Asia-Pacific.
Samiuela Fonua (chair of Tonga Cable) stated there were two holes in the subsea cable. They would not be repaired until the volcanic activity ceases, which will allow repair crews to access the cables.
Fonua said that “The site’s condition is still very messy” to Australian Broadcasting Corp.
According to satellite images, the island of Hunga Tonga Ha’apai which lies on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire almost disappeared after the blast. These satellite images were taken 12 hours later. This makes it hard for volcanologists monitor volcanic activity.
Niniva Island is one of the coastal damaged areas that was affected by the Tonga tsunami.
The image taken by an Australian military airplane shows Tonga’s main port. It clearly shows that shipping containers are being swept over by the tsunami which washed across the entire island.
Ash is seen covering buildings on O’Ua Island, Tonga, after a devastating underwater volcanic eruption struck the region and triggered a tsunami