An undersea volcano has erupted in spectacular fashion near the Pacific nation of Tonga, sending tsunami waves crashing across the shore and people rushing to higher ground.
The eruption cut the internet to Tonga, leaving friends and family members around the world on Sunday still anxiously trying to get in touch to figure out if there were any injuries and the extent of the damage.
Satellite images showed a huge eruption, with a plume of ash, steam and gas rising like a mushroom above the Pacific waters. A sonic boom could be heard as far away as Alaska.
Authorities across the Pacific, including in Samoa, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hawaii, Alaska and the US Pacific coast issued tsunami alerts, warning coastal residents of possible strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges.
The Tonga Meteorological Services declared a tsunami warning for the whole archipelago, and data from the Pacific tsunami centre detected waves of 80 centimetres.
Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau, who chairs the New Zealand Tonga Business Council, said she hoped the relatively low level of the tsunami waves would have allowed most people to get to safety.
She said she had not yet been able to contact her friends and family in Tonga.
"We are praying that the damage is just to infrastructure and people were able to get to higher land," she said.
Tonga gets its internet via an undersea cable from Suva, Fiji, which presumably was damaged. All internet connectivity with Tonga was lost about 6.40pm local time.
The Fiji-based Islands Business news site reported police and soldiers removed Tonga's King Tupou VI from his palace near the shore.
On Tonga, home to about 105,000 people, video posted to social media showed large waves washing ashore in coastal areas, swirling around homes, a church and other buildings.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said images of the eruption were "hugely concerning" and agencies were still trying to establish full communications with the country.
In Hawaii, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported waves that measured 50cm in Nawiliwili, Kauai and 80cm in Hanalei.
The tsunami advisory for the islands was lifted about 11 hours after the eruption more than 4800km away.
The explosion of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano was the latest in a series of dramatic eruptions.
Earth imaging company Planet Labs PBC had watched the island in recent days after a new volcanic vent there began erupting in late December.
Satellite images captured by the company show how drastically the volcano had shaped the area, creating a growing island off Tonga.
Following Saturday's eruption, residents in Hawaii, Alaska and along the US Pacific coast were advised to move away from the coastline to higher ground.
The first waves to hit the continental United States measured up to 59cm in Alaska.
A wave of about 79cm was observed in Monterey, California, according to the US National Tsunami Warning Center.
Residents of American Samoa were alerted of a tsunami warning by local broadcasters as well as church bells that rang territory-wide on Saturday.
As night fell, there were no reports of damage and the Hawaii-based tsunami centre cancelled the alert.
Authorities in nearby Fiji and Samoa also issued warnings, telling people to avoid the shoreline due to strong currents and dangerous waves. In New Zealand, officials warned of possible storm surges from the eruption.
Australian authorities issued a tsunami warning for parts of the east coast and Lord Howe, Norfolk and Macquarie islands.
The southern Japanese island of Chichijima recorded a 75cm wave. Japanese authorities did not expect the forecast swells to cause any damage.
New Zealand private forecaster Weather Watch tweeted that people as far away as Southland, the country's southernmost region, reported hearing sonic booms from the eruption.
Others reported that many boats were damaged by a tsunami that hit a marina in Whangarei.
Earlier, the Matangi Tonga news site reported that scientists observed massive explosions, thunder and lightning after the eruption began early on Friday.
Satellite images showed a 5km-wide plume rising about 20km.
The Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano is about 64km north of the capital, Nuku'alofa.
© DPA 2022