DEVELOPING STORY: Tsunami waves pounded the island of Tonga after a series of underground volcano eruptions. Video shows water pouring into houses and at least one church as terrified citizens fled to high ground. A tsunami warning was also issued for American Samoa.
A Twitter user identified as Dr. Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau posted video showing waves crashing ashore.
“Can literally hear the volcano eruption, sounds pretty violent,” he wrote, adding in a later post, “Raining ash and tiny pebbles, darkness blanketing the sky.”
Video of the explosion and tsunami are posted below.
This is the moment tsunami waves crash into Tonga, after an underwater volcano erupted earlier on Saturday.
— 1News (@1NewsNZ) January 15, 2022
? Keep up with the 1News LIVE updates on this developing story: https://t.co/GRqRXeuqhV pic.twitter.com/kBG7nxSj51
Volcán submarimo en Oceanía Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai. Se aprecia claramente la columna de ceniza y la interacción del agua del mar con la erupción. pic.twitter.com/xCcSczgbb0
— ?????????????? (@EarthquakeChil1) January 8, 2022
Mannnn my heart hurts for my people rn ????? pic.twitter.com/QjzW5f1uAy
— Aki??? (@ahkee_fifita) January 15, 2022
Stay safe everyone ?? pic.twitter.com/OhrrxJmXAW
— Dr Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau (@sakakimoana) January 15, 2022
Parts of Fiji and Tonga are experiencing a tsunami right now. pic.twitter.com/tOEtAWunKb
— ☭ ?? jσєуաrecκ’ˢ Ɗуѕтσριαη Ƒυтυяє ?? ? (@joeywreck) January 15, 2022
Jaw-dropping satellite imagery of the volcanic eruption in Tonga.
— Dakota Smith (@weatherdak) January 15, 2022
Wow. pic.twitter.com/8CqXCOxdsc
This family were in church. They’d just finish having choir practice and the tsunami hit ?❤️?? #Tsunami #Tonga #Oceania pic.twitter.com/j1poqeJ5Td
— Journalist Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) January 15, 2022