NUKU’ALOFA, TONGA (Parliament Politics Magazine): Tonga’s enormous volcanic eruption, which caused tsunami waves, engulfed the Pacific islands in ash, knocked out power, and shut off communications.
The tsunami caused “serious damage,” according to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, by sweeping boats ashore and damaging seaside shops.
Tonga has provided limited information, however no deaths were reported.
Tonga, which has been covered in a heavy layer of volcanic ash, has been described as looking “like a moonscape” by locals.
According to Ms Ardern, the dust was compromising water supplies, making fresh water a crucial requirement.
The ash and smoke had compelled authorities to advise residents to drink bottled water and use face masks to safeguard their lungs, according to relief organisations.
On Saturday, the underwater volcano erupted, blasting a cloud of ash into the sky and causing Tonga to issue warnings of 1.2m (4ft) waves. The eruption was so strong that it could be heard 2,383 kilometres (1,481 miles) away from Tonga in New Zealand.
Videos showed traffic congestion as residents evacuated low-lying areas by car as the sky darkened with ash. Tonga’s phone lines and internet went down hours later, rendering the 105,000 citizens of the island virtually unavailable.
Power was being restored slowly to certain parts of the island, according to Ms Ardern, and mobile phones were beginning to operate again. The condition in certain coastal areas, on the other hand, remained unknown.
Fatima claimed she hadn’t heard from her colleague, who owns a beachside restaurant in Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s capital.
She told the BBC that it was all extremely upsetting and they were praying for the best. She added saying That it would be devastating for them because they had been in lockdown for a long period without tourists and now this disaster had to be dealt with.
Australia and New Zealand have dispatched surveillance planes to evaluate the damage.
Some outlying islands appear to have been entirely drowned in the ocean, according to satellite pictures.
Tsunami warnings were issued in numerous Pacific countries, including Japan and the United States, after the eight-minute eruption. It resulted in flooding along the coasts of Alaska and California.
When the EU’s Sentinel-1A satellite passed overhead on Saturday, scientists received their first view of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai after the eruption.
This spacecraft is a radar platform with the ability to look through ashs and clouds to the land below.
It was evident that most of the crater rim that was above the sea level had been demolished, demonstrating the blast’s power.
