Height of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption reached 30 km (98 500 feet) a.s.l., Tonga
Eruptive column produced by the massive eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in Tonga at 04:10 UTC on January 15, 2022, likely reached a height of about 30 km (98 500 feet) above sea level.
The data is coming from Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) Limb Profiler aboard the Suomi NPP satellite.
Other estimates suggest the cloud could have reached as high as 39 km (127 900 feet) a.s.l.
The eruption produced a huge shockwave that circled the planet two times.
A 1.2 m (4 feet) high tsunami hit Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa within 30 minutes of the eruption, and reached countries as far away as Japan and United States.
The Tongan Navy has reported major damage in the Ha'apai Islands after they were hit by waves estimated to be 5 – 10 meters (16 – 33 feet) in height and reaching 500 meters (1 640 feet) inland.
Authorities confirmed one fatality in Tonga, a 50-year-old British woman who died after she was washed away while trying to rescue her dongs. Two people died in Peru after tsunami waves reached South America several hours later.
All communication lines in Tonga have been disrupted, likely as a result of heavy ashfall, leaving the island nation cut off from the rest of the world.
"From what little updates we have, the scale of the devastation could be immense- especially for outer lying Islands. We are trying hard to establish contact with our colleagues at Tonga Red Cross and establish the scale and specific nature of the support they need," said Katie Greenwood, IFRC’s Pacific Head of Delegation.
Read more:
Massive eruption at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai produces huge shockwave and 1.2 m high tsunami, Tonga – The Watchers
Featured image credit: OMPS, NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum.
Other support options include Patreon pledges, one-off payments using PayPal and purchasing products from our webshop.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.