23 Sep 2022

Volcanic Tongan island keeps on growing

10:02 am on 23 September 2022

Photo: Supplied

The island created by a volcanic eruption in Tonga continues to grow.

A volcano on Home Reef, between the Ha'apai and Vaav'u island groups, has continued to erupt over the past two weeks.

The area of the reef above the surface continues to grow and RNZ Pacific's correspondent in Nuku'alofa reports that it now covers an area of eight acres, up from one acre earlier in the month.

But Kalafi Moala reports that officials say there is still no wider threat to the country.

"The geologists here in Tonga have cautioned air flights going into the area, definitely marine travel close to the area, but they say that now at least there is no real threat to the residents of the communities of Ha'apai and Vava'u.

"It is located between those two islands."

Three people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed after a tsunami was generated by the massive January 15 eruption. All resorts on the western side of Tongatapu were completely wiped out.

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption generated the second largest sound ever recorded since Indonesia's Krakatoa eruption in 1883. It also produced the largest atmospheric explosion ever recorded.

Experts say the likelihood of another violent eruption happening anytime soon is quite low.

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