Large-scale eruption in Tonga Local details unknown Damage to Australian government patrol aircraft dispatch

The Australian government launched a military patrol aircraft on the 17th to understand the detailed damage situation in the area while communication with Tonga became difficult due to the large-scale eruption near Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean on the 15th. It is a policy to dispatch.

A large-scale eruption on the 15th at a submarine volcano located about 65 kilometers north of Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga in the South Pacific, observed a tsunami of up to about 80 cm in Tonga and 1 in Banuatu. A tsunami over a meter was observed.

Calls for caution or caution against the tsunami issued to countries surrounding Tonga and countries facing the Pacific Ocean were lifted around noon on the 16th, but communication such as telephone and internet is still difficult in most areas of Tonga.

Australia's Foreign Minister Payne issued a statement on the 16th, and the military patrol on the 17th to grasp the damage situation of infrastructure such as local roads and ports

.

I showed the policy to dispatch the aircraft.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Ardan said at a press conference on the 16th, "The capital Nuku'alofa is covered with volcanic ash, but the situation seems to be stable. On the other hand, tap water is contaminated by volcanic ash and a clean water supply Is an issue, "said the New Zealand government, which said it would dispatch military aircraft to understand the damage situation and provide the necessary support.

Two people died after being kidnapped by high waves in Peru

Two women in their 40s and 20s were kidnapped by high waves believed to have been affected by a large-scale eruption near Tonga in the South Pacific on the 15th at a beach in northern Lambayeque, according to Peruvian police. Was confirmed.

The two deceased women came to the beach with their families.

At that time, no tsunami warning was issued in Peru, but the Peruvian Navy called for the closure of ports and beaches as a precautionary measure.

In South America, Chilean and Ecuadorian authorities have issued tsunami warnings to call for caution, but all have been lifted by dawn on the 16th local time.

EU satellite image "Volcanic island almost completely gone"

Regarding the submarine volcano near Tonga in the South Pacific that erupted on the 15th, the EU-European Union released satellite images on Twitter that it was taken before and after the eruption.

The volcanic island that was clearly visible in the image on the 3rd of this month has disappeared after the eruption on the 15th.

According to Twitter, the eruption was "destructive" and "the volcanic island was almost completely gone."

US drone video "similar to the 2011 tsunami"

A video taken with a drone from the sky on the 15th at a port in California, western United States, about 8500 kilometers away from the volcanic island of Tonga where the eruption occurred, shows seawater flowing into the port from offshore. I am.

In addition, you can see the situation where ships near the exit of the harbor are swept away toward the back of the harbor.

"The tsunami that swept the ship looked like the tsunami that rushed to the United States after the 2011 earthquake in Japan," the filmmaker told Reuters.

According to the National Weather Service, after the eruption in Tonga, a tsunami of up to more than 1 meter was observed in California.

Tokyo Olympics flag bearer Taufatofa calling for support to his home country

Pita Taufatofu, who marched in a shirtless national costume as the flag bearer of the Tonga national team at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and became a hot topic, is calling for support to his home country Tonga through SNS.

Taufatofu participated in the Rio de Janeiro Games in Taekwondo in the summer of 2016, the Tokyo Games in the summer of last year, and the Pyeongchang Games in the winter of 2018 in ski cross-country skiing. The appearance of marching in costumes attracted a lot of attention.

Taufatofu is staying in Australia, but after a large-scale eruption near Tonga, he posted on SNS on the 16th, revealing that he has not been able to contact local families such as his father in Tonga. did.

Taufatofu then launched crowdfunding to raise donations to Tonga, saying, "What I can do now is to get people interested and support. I need help in Tonga for recovery. I will do my best for the people, "and is calling on many to support their home country of Tonga.