Get your 2022 Bingo cards out. Sigh.
An underwater volcano erupted in spectacular fashion near the Pacific nation of Tonga on Saturday, with a volcanic plume and a blast wave seen from orbit, sending large waves crashing across the shore and people rushing to higher ground.
The powerful eruption produced a volcanic plume about 150 kilometers (about 100 miles) wide.
According to a NPR news release, the Tonga Meteorological Services said a tsunami warning was in effect for all of Tonga, and data from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center showed waves of 80 centimeters (2.6 feet) had been detected. Videos shared online show a wave inundating coastal settlements.
This tsunami will bring large and dangerous rip currents as far as Southern California beaches today.
There have been no reports of casualties as of this posting.
An undersea volcano eruption sent large tsunami waves to the Pacific nation of Tonga, forcing people to rush to higher ground. pic.twitter.com/2rbiQl2QrZ
— DW News (@dwnews) January 15, 2022
🇹🇴|ÚLTIMA HORA: El volcán submarino Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai, ubicado en el Pacífico Sur, entró en erupción este jueves, generando un pequeño tsunami. pic.twitter.com/LYuyqL71di
— Alerta News 🚨 (@Alerta_News_) January 14, 2022
Huge volcanic eruption near Tonga. Reports of tsunami there and it’s gone pitch black. Lots of lightning too. #tonga pic.twitter.com/Eia4fidPRc
— Rick Threlfall (@RickThrelfall) January 15, 2022
Tsunami videos out of Tonga 🇹🇴 this afternoon following the Volcano Eruption. pic.twitter.com/JTIcEdbpGe
— Jese Tuisinu (@JTuisinu) January 15, 2022