The latest image of the United Nations Satellite Center shows very severe damage caused by the eruption of Mount Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai. Almost all of the islands are no longer visible from above. But the eruption created new small islands in the Pacific Ocean region.
Not without because experts say this. In 2015, the same underwater volcano erupted and formed Hunga Tonga Island. Initially, according to the planet Labs satellite image company, scientists thought the island would erode in a few months.
However, the island lasted for some time. In fact, last month the smaller eruption increases the size of the island to almost 50%.
"The image captures the first clear view of the new island structure on January 2, 2022," said Slayback, scientist researcher at the Goddard Space Flight Center NASA in Maryland, USA, before the latest eruption that the impact was more awesome.
"Comparing the image of planetscope from mid-December, before the latest eruption begins, the area of the island surface seems to have extend almost 45% because of ash rain," he continued as quoted from futurism.
Hunga Volcano Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai is known to have experienced several eruptions in recent years. Hunga Tonga-Hunga Volcanic Material Hunga Ha'apai reportedly to penetrate the surface of the sea during an eruption in 2009.
The latest eruption that occurred on Saturday (1/15), not only caused a tsunami wave in Tonga, but also had an impact throughout the Pacific. The warning of the tsunami was issued several regions of New Zealand, Japan and the United States.
The observed highest wave was 120 cm on Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, followed by 110 cm waves in the nail port in Iwate Prefecture.
The tsunami warning applies to all coastal areas of the Samoa lowland, with residents and visitors suggested to stay away from the coastal area.
In New Zealand, the emergency management agency issued a warning about the tsunami activity for the north and eastern coast of the country. Hawaii reported a 0.5 meter high tsunami wave in Nawiliwili, Kauai and 80 cm in Hanalei.
Meanwhile, the first wave that hit the mainland of the United States was around 33 cm in Nikolski, Alaska and 59 cm in Sada, Alaska. The US National Tsunami commemoration center reported that the wave of around 79 cm was observed in Monterey, California.
On California Central Coast, National Weather Service reported a 1.2 meter high tsunami wave and a flood in the beach parking lot in Port San Luis.
