(ModernSurvival.org) – On Saturday, January 15, 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the South Pacific erupted beneath the waves. The explosion was so massive that people in the United States reported hearing the blast, and the 19-mile-high ash cloud was visible from space. Following the eruption and resulting tsunami, communication with the island nation of Tonga has gone dark.
The violent eruption a few hours ago of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano captured by satellites GOES-West and Himawari-8. pic.twitter.com/PzV5v9apF6
— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) January 15, 2022
Tonga consists of over 170 different islands, with its capital of Nuku’alofa located on the largest island, named Tongatapu. Forty miles south of the eruption, Nuku’alofa was hit by massive waves which crippled the nation’s communication systems. Some believe it will be roughly two weeks before internet service and telephones are up and running again.
Initial flyovers by Australia and New Zealand report widespread devastation, but thankfully, the damage isn’t as bad as many feared.
A Cause for Greater Concern?
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano itself is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and has erupted numerous times over the past several years. According to volcanologists, this may be a warning sign of things to come, stating that weeks, months, or even years of additional eruptions may lie ahead.
This prediction is of concern to a great many people, as the Ring of Fire extends in a horseshoe shape from New Zealand up through the Bering Strait, then down the West Coast of North America and all the way to the lower tip of South America. Roughly 75% of the world’s most active volcanoes lie within this ring.
If volcanologists are correct, an uptick in eruptions along this danger zone could be incredibly serious. The recent eruption proves that even underwater volcanoes are dangerous at a great distance, as two individuals died in Peru as a result of tsunami waves. Even in the US, tsunami warnings were issued thanks to the blast.
If more eruptions are on the horizon, the time to prepare is now. For information on how to survive such a catastrophic event, take a look at our article here.
~Here’s to Your Survival!
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