NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga, Jan 15, 2022 (AFP) – Large waves crashed ashore in Tonga Saturday after a massive volcanic eruption that was heard in neighbouring countries triggered the area’s second tsunami in as many days. “A 1.2 metre tsunami wave has been observed at Nukualofa,” Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology tweeted. The maximum tsunami wave recorded following Friday’s explosion was 30 centimetres. The latest eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano came just a few hours after […]
Tag: Tonga
Shallow 6.4-magnitude quake strikes off Tonga: USGS
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) — A shallow 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the Pacific island nation of Tonga on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage. Despite the intensity of the quake, the Tonga Meteorological Service issued a brief statement saying there was no threat. The quake, downgraded from an initially reported magnitude 6.7, struck at a depth of 35 kilometres about 210 kilometres (130 miles) northeast of the country’s capital, […]
Monster storm gathers strength off Tonga
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) — Tropical Cyclone Harold surged back into a scale-topping Category Five storm Thursday as it sideswiped Tonga after leaving a trail of destruction across the South Pacific. The island kingdom declared a state of emergency late Wednesday as the storm bore down, warning of destructive winds and massive sea surges. Police said early Thursday that power had been cut in parts of the country and howling winds were gathering pace amid heavy […]
Volanic eruption creates new island in Tongan archipelago
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) — An undersea volcanic eruption in the Tongan archipelago has sunk one island and created another three times larger, according to a report by geologists released Thursday. Taaniela Kula, of the Tonga Geological Service, said the new Lateiki island is estimated to be about 100 meters (110 yards) wide and 400 meters long and is situated about 120 meters west of its submerged predecessor. It lies between Kao and Late in the […]
6.6 magnitude quake strikes off Tonga: USGS
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) –A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Pacific island nation of Tonga on Tuesday, but there was no threat of a tsunami, officials said. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the shallow undersea quake hit about 134 kilometers (83 miles) west of Neiafu, the country’s second-largest town. It said the temblor was not expected to have caused significant damage. The quake was not felt in Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa, […]
6.4-magnitude earthquake hits off coast of Tonga: USGS
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit in waters off the Pacific island nation of Tonga on Monday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued. The quake struck at a moderate depth of 100 kilometers (62 miles) with the epicenter some 85 kilometers north of the Tongan capital Nuku’alofa. There were no immediate reports of damage. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami threat. Baea Filimoehala from […]
Harry and Meghan to head Down Under later this year: palace
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan will visit Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand later this year for their first overseas tour as a married couple, Kensington Palace announced Monday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who were married at Windsor Castle last month, have timed their trip to coincide with the Invictus Games in Sydney in October. Harry, the second son of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, set up the global sports […]
Cyclone Gita wreaks havoc in Pacific
TONGA (Eagle News) — The residents of Tonga are still picking up the pieces after Cyclone Gita smashed through their South Pacific country last month. Other countries were also affected such as New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa, Vanuatu, Queensland, and American Samoa. The cyclone directly hit the capital city of Nuku’alofa, recording winds of 230 km/h (145 mph), the highest since record of storms in Tonga began. Cyclone Gita was the most severe cyclone […]
Aid reaches cyclone-hit Tonga as storm passes Fiji
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) –International aid began trickling in on Wednesday to areas of Tonga devastated by Cyclone Gita, as Fiji escaped the worst of the storm’s fury. Military aircraft from Australia and New Zealand flew emergency supplies to Nuku’alofa, which was battered early Tuesday by the most powerful cyclone ever recorded in the capital. Fiji feared similar destruction when the tempest moved over its southern Lau islands early Wednesday, but initial indications were encouraging. Fiji’s […]
Blackouts, flooding as cyclone batters Tongan capital
NAKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) — Nuku’alofa awoke to scenes of devastation Tuesday after the most powerful cyclone ever recorded in the Tongan capital tore roofs off buildings, downed powerlines and caused extensive flooding, prompting a state of emergency in the tiny Pacific nation. Veteran disaster management officials were shocked at the fury of Severe Cyclone Gita as it unleashed 230 kilometers per hour (142 mph) winds on Tonga’s most populous island Tongatapu. Historic wooden buildings in […]
Tonga declares state of emergency as cyclone looms
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) — Tonga declared a state of emergency Monday as the Pacific island kingdom braces for a direct hit by a powerful cyclone that is threatening to become a Category Five superstorm. Severe Tropical Cyclone Gita has already created havoc in neighboring Samoa and is gathering pace as it approaches Tonga. Acting Prime Minister Semisi Sika issued a nationwide alert, saying he was “satisfied that an emergency is happening or is about to […]
6.8-magnitude quake off Tonga, no tsunami threat
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Tonga Saturday in the tectonically active Pacific region, but there was no tsunami threat, seismologists said. The tremor hit at a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles) some 90 kilometers off the Tonga island of Niuatoputapu, and 230 kilometres southwest of the Samoan capital Apia, the US Geological Survey reported. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no current tsunami threat. […]
