The eruption of the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai in Tonga
since Friday last week is still causing tsunamis on the coasts or ports of
Pacific countries. Australia is one of the countries that felt the brunt of
the tsunami, even until Monday (17/1/2022) afternoon local time.
Experts predict that the tsunami caused by the underwater volcanic eruption
could last until Tuesday, even in the following days if the eruption
continues.
A sea level gauge in Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, recorded a 1.2-meter-high
tsunami wave hitting the coast and into houses.
While the tsunami that hit the Australian coast was not that high, it was
still quite large when compared to previous events such as the impact of the
Chile earthquake in 1960. The eruption of the Tonga volcano generated waves
as high as 82 centimeters on the Gold Coast, Australia.
At Kembla Harbor on the southern coast of the State of New South Wales (NSW)
the tsunami wave reached 65 cm and in Eden's Twofold Bay 77 cm.
However, the authorities reminded residents not to underestimate the tsunami
even though its height was below 1 meter. Australians are used to playing
with high waves on the beach, but not because of the tsunami but bad
weather.
A 50 cm tsunami wave may seem small, but it is different from a normal wave
which only takes 5 to 15 seconds to return to the sea after hitting the
beach. A single tsunami wave can take tens of minutes to hours to land with
sufficient force to displace heavy objects.
