Tonga Volcanic Eruption: The Aftermath

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano has severely impacted coastlines surrounding the Pacific Ocean and beyond

• News is beginning to trickle in on the impact of the volcanic eruption which devastated the Pacific island nation of Tonga. Three fatalities have been reported.
• The January 14th eruption - caused by an underwater volcano lying in the South Pacific - is thought to be one of the worst in the region for over 30 years. Ash has coated the Tongan islands.
• Initially, limited information was known as the eruption ruptured the only fiber cable running between Tonga and the rest of global civilization. It is thought this could take weeks to repair.
• The low number of fatalities is thought to be as a result of islanders knowing that the Hunga Tonga was a live volcano. People had been hearing smaller eruptions from the volcano for over a year.
• Aid has started to arrive in Tonga, as civilians finally managed to clear the runway of ash. However, some worry about the impact the ash will have on the health of those removing it.
• It has been reported that the eruption will undoubtedly have a long-term impact on the environment both in the Pacific region and globally, but the extent of this impact is not yet known.