WAVE ALERT
Tsunami warning from California to Alaska after underwater volcano erupts near Tonga
THE urgent tsunami warning has ended for portions of Southcentral and Southeast Alaska, according to the National Weather Service.
The warning was originally issued from California to Alaska after an underwater volcano erupted near Tonga.
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Warnings were also issued for the island nation, New Zealand’s North Island and Canada’s British Columbia.
Advisories are still in place in various California cities, including Santa Monica and Santa Cruz, where residents experienced minor flooding as a result of the tsunami.
All beaches, boardwalks, harbors and piers have been closed in Laguna Beach until further notice. Residents were told to "please stay out of the water."
The National Weather Service issued a to those on the West Coast: "A Tsunami is occurring. Remember- the first wave may not be that largest.
"Move away from the shore and head to high ground."
Dave Snider, Tsunami Warning Coordinator at the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, told : "We have seen the wave moving through Hawaiian Island."
Snider added: "We don't have a really good forecast because this event is based on a volcano rather than earthquake."
Berkeley Fire Department have ordered a mandatory evacuation for people living in the Marina or the surrounding area.
The tsunami, creating 2-3ft waves was due to hit at 7.30am PT.
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The wave, estimated to be between one to two feet high was predicted to hit San Francisco's coast at 8.10am PT, according to the US National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area in their latest update.
It said the tsunami will coincide with the area's high tide at 9.09am and warned "minor flooding" was possible, "especially for areas like Marin Headlands."
According to New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency, "strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore" are expected.
It said its weather stations had observed “a pressure surge” Saturday evening, following the eruption.
Scientist Emily Lane, of New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, told the New Zealand Science Media Centre that it was a "very significant" eruption.
"The shock wave from it is clearly visible in satellite imagery and there are reports of the eruption being heard at least as far away as New Zealand," she said. "The tsunami from the eruption has reached over 2,500 km being recorded on gauges over all of Aotearoa."
According to Lane, tsunamis caused by volcanoes are much less common than tsunamis from underwater earthquakes.
The eruption yesterday was so large it could be seen from space and triggered an alarming tsunami.
Waves of 2.7ft swept through the streets of the Pacific nation as locals scrambled to higher ground after the "violent" eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano.
The eruption was so intense it was heard as "loud thunder sounds" in Fiji more than 500 miles away, officials said.
Horrifying satellite images from space showed the huge eruption, which lasted at least eight minutes and sent plumes of gas, ash and smoke several miles into the air.
The Tonga Meteorological Services said a tsunami warning was in effect for all of Tonga as the island's capital lies just 65km north of the volcano.
Tongan resident Mere Taufa said the eruption hit as her family was preparing for dinner - and her younger brother thought bombs were exploding nearby.
She told New Zealand news site Stuff.co.nz: "My first instinct was to take cover under the table, I grabbed my little sister, and screamed at my parents and others in the house to do the same."
Taufa said the next thing she knew, water was rushing into their home.
"You could just hear screams everywhere, people screaming for safety, for everyone to get to higher ground," she said.
Tonga's King Tupou VI was reported to have been evacuated from the Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa and taken by a police convoy to a villa away from the coastline.
The Matangi Tonga news site said scientists had seen massive explosions, thunder and lightning near the volcano after it started erupting early on Friday.
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The site said satellite images showed a three-mile wide plume of ash, steam and gas rising up 12 miles into the air.
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Big waves seen on California beach following tsunami warning
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