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Authorities have issued another warning for swimmers after another near drowning on a New South Wales Beach.
A man remains in a critical condition after three people were pulled from the water near Wollongong.
Emergency services were called to Bulli Beach, Woonona, just after 3.30 pm yesterday after reports three people were seen struggling in a rip about 100m offshore.
The swimmers were brought to shore by witnesses, where they were treated by Surf Life Savers and other onlookers before police and NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived.
A 22-year-old man was taken to Wollongong hospital in a critical condition.
The other swimmers – a 21-year-old man and 22-year-old woman – were also taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Officers attached to Wollongong Police Area Command have commenced an investigation into the incident and are reminding people to exercise caution when swimming in the surf.
Police urge all those around waterways to remember these simple tips.
- If you cannot swim, do not go into the water
- Only swim in waterways that are patrolled – swim between the red and yellow flags and always listen to advice from lifeguards
- Wear a life jacket, whether you are on a boat or out fishing
- Be aware of all conditions – water conditions and the weather are unpredictable. Be mindful of rips and changes and do not swim at night.
The NSW Bureau has issued a hazardous surf warning for rock fishing and swimming along the state's east coast.
Images: Surf Life Saving NSW Facebook & Peter Andrea
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An underwater volcano off Tonga has erupted, sending large waves crashing ashore on the island kingdom and triggering tsunami alerts across parts of the Pacific.
The giant eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano on Saturday triggered a tsunami in Tonga.
Local media on the island chain reported a downpour of ash, the flooding of properties and disruptions to phone and power connections.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or on the extent of the damage because all internet connectivity with Tonga was lost at about 6.40pm local time, Doug Madory, director of internet analysis for the network intelligence firm Kentik said.
Tonga gets its internet via an undersea cable from Suva, Fiji, which presumably was damaged.
The Bureau of Meteorology in Australia said a 1.2 metre tsunami wave had been observed in Nuku'alofa, Tonga's capital.
The Islands Business news site reported that a convoy of police and military troops moved Tonga's King Tupou VI from his palace near the shore.
He was among the many residents who headed for higher ground.
Satellite images showed a huge eruption, a plume of ash, steam and gas rising like a mushroom above the blue Pacific waters.
The New Zealand Defence Force said it was monitoring the situation in Tonga and stood ready to assist if requested by the government but that so far no request had been made, according to Radio New Zealand.
A spokesperson for the Australian government said initial assessments are underway and the Department of Foreign Affairs is working to ensure Australians in Tonga are safe and accounted for.
"Tonga is part of our Pacific family and our thoughts are with the entire community dealing with the impact of the volcanic eruption and tsunami," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"The Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs are monitoring the situation and Australia stands ready to provide support to Tonga if requested."
Authorities across the Pacific, including in Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand, issued tsunami alerts, warning people to stay away from coastal areas due to the possibility of strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges.
"People in or near the sea should move out of the water, off beaches and shore areas and away from harbours, rivers and estuaries," the New Zealand National Emergency Management Agency warned.
Hauraki Gulf Weather recorded a 71 centimetre wave at Great Barrier Island, near Auckland following the eruption.
The volcano is located about 2000 kilometres northeast of New Zealand.
New Zealand's MetService said its instruments detected a pressure surge from the eruption.
New Zealanders took to social media to report they could hear the eruption.
Fiji issued a tsunami warning, urging residents to avoid the shorelines "due to strong currents and dangerous waves".
Residents of American Samoa were alerted to a tsunami warning by local broadcasters as well as church bells that rang territory-wide as an outdoor siren warning system was out of service.
As night fell, there were no reports of any damage and the US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center cancelled the alert.
In Hawaii, the PTWC reported waves that measured half a metre in Nawiliwili, Kauai and 80cm in Hanalei.
The National Weather Service said there were reports of boats getting pushed up in docks but the hazard diminished as the morning went on.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said there may be a slight swelling of the water along the Japanese coasts but it was not expected to cause any damage.
The volcano also erupted on Friday, when small tsunami waves of up to 30cm were recorded, the Tonga Meteorological Office said.
The volcano was erupting intermittently in late December but Friday's eruption was about seven times more powerful than the previous eruption, Tonga Geological Services said.
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There are 2196 new cases of covid19 in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven for the 24 hours to eight last night.
That includes 1254 cases from the Wollongong LGA, 458 from Shoalhaven 407 from Shellharbour and 77 from Kiama.
In the Hunter New England there are currently 116 COVID-19 cases receiving care in hospitals and seven in intensive care units.
In the Southern NSW Health District there are 553 new COVID-19 cases.
Self reported rapid antigen test (RAT) results are not yet included in these numbers.
Cases for the Wingecarribee Shire are yet to be updated
Across NSW and the state has recorded an unwanted and deadly covid milestone.
137 people have died with the virus this week, 20 in the latest reporting period.
More than two-thousand-500 people are being treated in hospital, 193 are in intensive care.
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