Tonga depict a scene of vast devastation, showing the aftermath of a violent undersea volcano eruption and subsequent tsunami near the islands over the weekend.A thick blanket of ash coats Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu, wiping out any traces of green previously captured on satellite images.Aerial and satellite photos released by New Zealand, Australia and UNOSAT, the United Nations satellite centre, also show water damage and wrecked buildings after the volcano triggered massive tsunami waves that rapidly spread around the globe.While some waves were reported to be approximately 80 centimetres in height, others reached far greater size, some as high as multiple metres.The ash has contaminated the island nation’s water supply.
New Zealand’s military is sending much-needed drinking water and other supplies. However, thick ash on the airport runway has delayed deliveries and the first flight with supplies has been delayed by at least a day.New Zealand is also sending two ships to the area with water supplies, survey teams and a helicopter, reports the BBC.The volcano cut off much of the island’s telecommunication infrastructure.
It’s believed that the underwater fibre-optic cable that tethers Tongo to the outside world was severed in the eruption. Also worrying is devices that could warn of further eruptions were damaged.
Aid to Tonga after volcanic eruption, tsunami delayed by thick ash on airport runway Little appears to be left of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai, the exact island where the volcanic eruption happened on Saturday.