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All Tonga Hunga Ha'apai New Volcano Island

Hunga Ha'apai New Volcano Island

Underwater volcanic eruption forms new island off the coast of Tonga.

Tonga

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anhie
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View from the summit of Hunga Tonga -Hunga Ha’apai island in January 2017   Damien Grouille / CC BY-SA 4.0
View from the summit of Hunga Tonga -Hunga Ha’apai island in January 2017   Damien Grouille / CC BY-SA 4.0
Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai Island   USGS
Hunga Ha’apai   ESA / Copernicus Sentinel-2 L2A / CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
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About

Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai is an underwater volcano off the coast of Tonga, just 62 kilometers (39 miles) northwest of the Tongan capital of Nuku'alofa. The volcano gets its name from the two small islands it's nestled between, Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai, and is part of the highly active Tonga-Kermadec Islands volcanic arc.

The area, which is known to Tongans as the islands that "jump back and forth" from seismic activity, is also part of the highly volcanic Pacific Ring of Fire. It is thus believed that Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai is part of a cluster of 36 undersea volcanoes.

In March 2009, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai erupted for several days, sending a violent stream of steam, rocks, and ash thousands of feet into the air. For days, huge columns of smoke and ash were seen rising from the Pacific Ocean.

Geologists confirmed that the eruption came from two volcanic vents, one located on Hunga Ha'apai, and another located 100 meters (330 feet) offshore. The two vents ejected so much debris, however, that they created a new landmass between them. Though the eruption wiped out all signs of wildlife on the original islet, the "new" island added hundreds of square meters to Hunga Ha'apai.

Related Tags

Volcanoes Natural Wonders Fiery Wonders Islands Geology Nature

Community Contributors

Added By

anhie

Edited By

Molly McBride Jacobson, Blindcolour, aribrown, Michelle Cassidy

  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • Blindcolour
  • aribrown
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

April 22, 2010

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Sources
  • http://www.stormchaser.ca/Volcanoes/Hunga_Haapai/Hunga_Haapai.html
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunga_Tonga
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Tonga_undersea_volcanic_eruption
Hunga Ha'apai New Volcano Island
Tonga
-20.550161, -175.40927

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