Eruption has created a new island

NUKU‘ALOFA – Continuous eruptions have created a new island between Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha‘apai, 65 km from Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) reports.

“The eruption of ash and tephra continues, but in recent days the ash has been limited to low elevations,” their fourth advisory stated on January 15.

A team including two GNS volcanologists from New Zealand went out to observe the erupting volcano on January 14.

Observations have confirmed the location of the eruption is between the islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga-Ha‘apai.

Taaniela Kula, the deputy secretary of MLNR said: “The new island has been built by the eruption between the existing islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’apai, and is now joined to Hunga Ha’apai.”

The new island is more than one kilometre wide, two kilometres long and about 10 metres high.

“During our observations the volcano was erupting about every five minutes. Dense ash was being erupted to a height of about 400 metres, accompanied by some large rocks,” Kula said.

“Above about 1000 metres, the eruption plume was almost exclusively steam. As the ash is very wet, most is being deposited close to the vent, building up the new island.”

Hazardous surges of ash and steam were seen to spread out horizontally during eruptions, and these extended more than one kilometre from the erupting vent.

Ash fall and acidic rain was observed within 10 kilometres of the eruption.

“Leaves on trees on Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha‘apai have died, probably caused by volcanic ash and gases. No large rafts of pumice or other floating volcanic debris were observed. Strong smells of volcanic gases were noticed on a few occasions.”

Kula said that this eruption was similar to that at Hunga Ha‘apai in 2009, but it was producing a larger volume of materials building the island.

“It is unclear at this stage if there is any relationship between the eruption and a red algal bloom observed in seawaters around Tonga recently,” he added.

The eruption area is located approximately 65km northwest of Vuna Wharf, Nuku’alofa, and 70km southwest of Nomuka Island.

The eruption of ash and tephra continues, but in recent days the presence of ash has been limited to low elevations.

International flights resumed on January 14 after several days of cancelled flights. The domestic airline Real Tonga is currently also operating.

Air New Zealand has put on extra services to accommodate travellers affected by flight cancellations earlier this week caused by the eruptions.