Tsunami hits Japan’s Pacific coast after underwater volcano erupts in Tonga

After an underwater volcano erupted in Tonga, a tsunami was seen in Amami-Oshima, the Southern Japanese island. Several other places situated along the country’s Pacific coast also reported similar situations on Sunday. 

The meteorological agency of Japan issued a tsunami warning after it observed a 120-centimetre tsunami in Kominato on Amami-Oshima Island. The warning was issued for the Amami islands as well as the Tokara chain of islands in the Kagoshima Prefecture. 

NHK World also reported that dozens of tsunami waves were spotted along the Pacific coast of Japan, from the southern island Kyushu to Hokkaido, the northern island. These waves are 90 centimetres each. 

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An alert was issued, so people would be aware of the unfolding situation and make their way to higher ground or evacuate. Hotels near the sea ensured that guests were moved to higher floors and though the employees didn’t notice any tidal changes at the time, they did see some cars making their way to higher ground. 

Currently, the tsunami threat has begun to recede but the extent of damage that Tonga itself has faced remains unknown. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said, “Communication with Tonga remains very limited. And I know that is causing a huge amount of anxiety for the Tongan community here” 

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Though hundreds of families from Samoan villages on the shoreline were evacuated after the volcanic eruption gave rise to huge waves, Arden admitted that the Tongan coastline had seen significant damage to its boats and shops. Nuku’alofa, the capital of the island country, was covered in volcanic dust, contaminating the water supply and leading to a freshwater crisis. 

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Since Tonga has so far avoided any COVID-19 outbreaks, an overt international aid process is also complicated and must follow proper safety protocols. Meanwhile, Dave Snider, the tsunami warning coordinator for the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, said it was a scary and humbling experience to witness a volcanic affecting an entire ocean basin. 

Snider opened up further about the tsunami warning issued all along the Pacific coast, saying, “We don’t issue an advisory for this length of coastline as we’ve done — I’m not sure when the last time was — but it really isn’t an everyday experience”. 

[Edited with AP Inputs]