Tag Archives: Volcanic eruptions

US

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is erupting once again

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CNN
 — 

Weeks after Hawaii’s Mauna Loa erupted for the first time in decades, neighboring volcano Kilauea is showing activity again after a brief pause, according to officials.

Kilauea – which had stopped erupting last month for the first time since September 2021 amid Mauna Loa’s own lava eruption and subsequent slowdown – had increased earthquake activity beneath its summit and recorded ground deformation on Thursday morning, officials said.

“Kilauea volcano is erupting,” the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the US Geological Survey said on Thursday. A glow was detected in nearby webcam images, “indicating that the eruption has resumed within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kilauea’s summit caldera” at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the agencies said.

Officials have elevated Kilauea’s volcano alert level to a “warning” status as well as updated its aviation color code from orange to red, the agencies said.

The warning status and red color code are the highest levels of alert, indicating hazardous eruption with significant emission of volcanic ash.

The eruption is occurring within a closed portion of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

“Therefore, high levels of volcanic gas are the primary hazard of concern, as this hazard can have far-reaching effects down-wind,” according to a status report from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. It also warns residents to avoid exposure to volcanic particles that could waft some distance from the eruption.

The National Park Service has posted an air quality alert on its website, warning that unhealthy levels of volcanic pollutants can occur. It includes charts with regular air quality readings, particularly relevant for those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

Visitors to the national park may encounter a “minor hazard,” the status report says.

“Visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park should note that under southerly (non-trade) wind conditions, there is potential for a dusting of powdery to gritty ash composed of volcanic glass and rock fragments.”

The eruption is currently confined to the crater and poses “no threat to communities,” the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency said on social media.

Kilauea’s eruption in 2018 was one of the most destructive in recent Hawaii history, forcing evacuations of surrounding neighborhoods and destroying hundreds of homes.



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US

Hawaii volcano: Lava from Mauna Loa is less than 4 miles from a key highway. Officials say they have a plan in case the road closes

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CNN
 — 

With the Mauna Loa volcano continuing to erupt on Hawaii’s Big Island, local officials and residents are keeping an eye on the lava flow as it creeps closer to a major roadway and making plans for the possibility that access to the highway could soon be cut off and have a major impact on daily life.

Lava from Mauna Loa was 3.6 miles from Saddle Road, also known as Daniel K. Inouye Highway, as of Wednesday morning, the US Geological Survey said. The crucial roadway is the fastest route linking the east and west sides of the island.

“County officials have been working with the state Department of Transportation on a plan to shut down the Daniel K. Inouye Highway if the lava moves close enough to the road to pose a hazard,” Adam Weintraub, communication director with Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement to CNN. “The plans are preliminary and subject to change based on how the lava advances.”

As of Wednesday, the lava was moving into a relatively flat area, “so it is slowing down and spreading out,” Weintraub said.

Emmanuel Carrasco Escalante, who lives in Hilo on the island’s east side, told CNN if the road ends up being shut down, his commute to work would take about four hours round trip – twice as long as normal, not accounting for traffic.

Carrasco Escalante works in landscaping in Kona on the west side of the island and said he usually leaves for work around 3:30 a.m.

If Saddle Road is closed, he’ll have to detour to either the north or south coastal roadways, he said.

“That would add almost two hours, more gas, and more miles so hopefully it (lava) doesn’t cross that road,” Carrasco Escalante told CNN.

The fountains of lava that began pouring from Mauna Loa this week marked the first time it has erupted in 38 years, joining nearby Kilauea, which has been erupting since last year, and creating rare duel volcanic eruptions on the Big Island. At 13,681 feet above sea level, Mauna Loa is the world’s largest active volcano.

The transportation department can provide a six-hour notice of the road’s closure, Weintraub said. “And the staff at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say that they can provide at least 24-48 hours advance warning if the lava appears to be threatening the roadway,” he added.

According to the US Geological Survey, the lava’s pace has slowed in the days since the eruption and it could take at least two days for the lava to reach Saddle Road.

In case of emergencies if the road closes, there are hospitals and first responders on each side of the island, Weintraub said, noting there is already “substantial coordination” between hospitals in the state.

Hawaii’s transportation department is monitoring the situation and response plans are in place if the highway must be closed, according to a statement from earlier this week. The department also shared a preliminary plan for the possibility of closure.


Despite the dual eruptions of Mauna Loa and Kilauea just 21 miles apart in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Gov. David Ige has maintained it’s still safe to visit the Big Island. And the park has said neither eruption is threatening homes.

“The eruption site is high up the mountain, and it’s in a relatively isolated location,” Ige said.

State health officials, however, have warned of potential air quality issues, including vog, or volcanic smog.

Residents and visitors can expect “vog conditions, ash in the air, and levels of sulfur dioxide to increase and fluctuate in various areas of the state,” the Hawaii health department said.

Volcanic gas, fine ash and Pele’s Hair (strands of volcanic glass) could be carried downwind, the US Geological Survey said. A field team has found Pele’s hairs across older lava flows, the geological survey said Wednesday, adding: “Hairs deposited many km (mi) from active vents by the windblown eruption plume.”

Children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions should reduce outdoor activities that cause heavy breathing and reduce exposure by staying indoors and closing windows and doors if vog conditions develop, the health department said.

The governor acknowledged the potential for air hazards and said officials are tracking air quality monitors across the island.

“The concern is about dangerous gases from the fissures. And the most dangerous is sulfur dioxide,” Ige said Wednesday. “Observing the volcano should occur at a distance. It’s not safe to get up close.”

While evacuation orders have not been issued, Ige said he signed an emergency proclamation as a “proactive” measure.

More than 3,000 miles to the north, officials in Alaska are also monitoring two erupting volcanoes in their state.

Both the Pavlof Volcano and Great Sitkin Volcano are experiencing low-level eruptions in the remote Aleutian Islands chain, according to Cheryl Searcy, duty scientist at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

“Pavlof has been erupting for over a year,” Searcy told CNN in a phone interview from Anchorage. “Roughly 15 months of activity, longer than any of the previous eruptions.”

During that time, Pavlof – which stands at 8,261 feet– has not produced a high ash cloud, posing no threat to aviation, Searcy said.

As for the Great Sitkin Volcano, lava is still erupting in its summit crater, according to a report from the state’s volcano observatory. Searcy noted the 5,709-foot Great Sitkin has also been active for quite a while.

Researchers are also keeping an eye on three other volcanoes that have shown signs of unrest, including the Semisopochnoi, Takawangha and Cleveland volcanoes.

Overall, Alaska has more than 40 active volcanoes stretching across the Aleutian Islands chain.



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US

Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano is erupting, prompting an ashfall advisory for the Big Island

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CNN
 — 

An ashfall advisory is in effect Monday for Hawaii’s Big Island and surrounding waters until 6 a.m. HST (11 a.m. ET) after Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, began erupting in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Up to a quarter inch of ashfall could accumulate on portions of the island.

“People with respiratory illnesses should remain indoors to avoid inhaling the ash particles and anyone outside should cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth,” the National Weather Service in Honolulu warned.

“Possible harm to crops and animals. Minor equipment and infrastructure damage. Reduced visibility. Widespread clean-up may be necessary,” it added.

The eruption is not threatening downhill communities or flights to the Island of Hawaii, the Hawaii Tourism Authority tweeted Monday morning.

Lava flows are contained in the summit area and do not threaten downslope communities, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said. Winds may carry volcanic gas and fine ash downwind.

“Based on past events, the early stages of a Mauna Loa eruption can be very dynamic and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly,” the observatory said, adding, “If the eruption remains in Moku’āweoweo, lava flows will most likely be confined within the caldera walls.

“However, if the eruptive vents migrate outside its walls, lava flows may move rapidly downslope.”

The eruption began in Moku’āweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa, on Sunday around 11:30 p.m. HST (4:30 a.m. ET Monday), according to the observatory.

Mauna Loa, which covers half the island of Hawaii, has erupted 33 times since 1843, the volcano’s first “well-documented historical eruption,” according to the US Geological Survey. It last erupted in 1984, making this prolonged quiet period the volcano’s longest in recorded history.

The volcano has recently been in a heightened state of unrest, per the agency, which pointed in an update late last month to elevated seismic activity and increased earthquake rates.

Earthquake activity increased from five to 10 earthquakes a day since June 2022 to some 10 to 20 earthquakes a day in July and August, according to the US Geological Survey. Peak numbers of more than 100 earthquakes a day were recorded on September 23 and September 29, CNN has reported.

The increased activity prompted Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in October to close the Mauna Loa summit to all backcountry hikers until further notice, though the US National Park Service said the main section of the park has remained open.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the Eastern Time equivalents for the ashfall advisory and eruption.



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Science

Tonga eruption’s towering plume reached the 3rd layer of Earth’s atmosphere

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CNN
 — 

When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted underwater in January, it created a plume of ash and water that broke through the third layer of Earth’s atmosphere.

It was the highest-recorded volcanic plume and reached the mesosphere, where meteors and meteorites usually break apart and burn up in our atmosphere.

The mesosphere, about 31 to 50 miles (50 to 80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface, is above the troposphere and stratosphere and beneath two other layers. (The stratosphere and mesosphere are dry atmospheric layers.)

The volcanic plume reached an altitude of 35.4 miles (57 kilometers) at its highest. It exceeded previous record holders such as the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines at 24.8 miles (40 kilometers) and the 1982 El Chichón eruption in Mexico, which reached 19.2 miles (31 kilometers).

Researchers used images captured by satellites passing over the eruption site to confirm the plume’s height. The eruption occurred January 15 in the southern Pacific Ocean off the Tongan archipelago, an area covered by three geostationary weather satellites.

A study detailing the findings published Thursday in the journal Science.

The towering plume sent into the upper layers of the atmosphere contained enough water to fill 58,000 Olympic-size swimming pools, according to previous detections from a NASA satellite.

Understanding the height of the plume can help researchers study the impact the eruption might have on the global climate.

Determining the plume’s height posed a challenge to researchers. Typically, scientists can measure the altitude of a plume by studying its temperature — the colder a plume, the higher it is, said lead study coauthor Dr. Simon Proud of RAL Space and a research fellow at the National Centre for Earth Observation and the University of Oxford.

But this method couldn’t be applied to the Tonga event due to the violent nature of its eruption.

“The eruption pushed through the layer of atmosphere we live in, the troposphere, into the upper layers where the atmosphere warms up again as you get higher,” said Proud via email.

“We had to come up with another approach, using the different views given by weather satellites located on opposite sides of the Pacific and some pattern matching techniques to work out the altitude. This has only become possible in recent years, as even ten years ago we didn’t have the satellite technology in space to do this.”

The research team relied on “the parallax effect” to determine the plume’s height, comparing the difference in appearance of the plume from multiple angles as captured by the weather satellites. The satellites took images every 10 minutes, documenting the dramatic changes in the plume as it rose out of the ocean. The images reflected differences in the plume’s position from varying lines of sight.

The eruption “went from nothing to a 57 kilometer-high tower of ash and cloud in 30 minutes,” Proud said. Members of the team also noticed rapid changes in the top of the eruptive plume that surprised them.

“After the initial big burst to 57 kilometers, the central dome of the plume collapsed inward, before another plume appeared shortly after,” Proud said. “I hadn’t expected something like that to occur.”

The amount of water the volcano released into the atmosphere is expected to warm the planet temporarily.

“This technique not only allows us to determine the maximum height of the plume but also the various levels in the atmosphere where volcanic material was released,” said study coauthor Dr. Andrew Prata, a postdoctoral research assistant in the Clarendon Laboratory’s sub-department of atmospheric, oceanic and planetary physics at the University of Oxford, via email.

Knowing the composition and height of the plume can reveal how much ice was sent into the stratosphere and where ash particles were released.

The height is also critical for aviation safety because volcanic ash can cause jet engine failure, so avoiding ash plumes is key.

The plume height is yet another emerging detail of what has become known as one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions recorded. When the undersea volcano erupted 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Tonga’s capital, it triggered a tsunami as well as shock waves that rippled around the world.

Research is ongoing to unlock why the eruption was so powerful, but it might be because it occurred underwater.

The heat of the eruption vaporized the water and “created a steam explosion much more powerful than a volcanic eruption would normally be,” Proud said.

“Examples like the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption demonstrate that magma-seawater interactions play a significant role in producing highly explosive eruptions that can inject volcanic material to extreme altitudes,” Prata added.

Next, the researchers want to understand why the plume was so high as well as its composition and ongoing impact on the global climate.

“Often when people think of volcanic plumes they think of volcanic ash,” Prata said. “However, preliminary work on this case is revealing that there was a significant proportion of ice in the plume. We also know that there was a fairly modest amount of sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosols formed rapidly after the eruption took place.”

Proud wants to use the multi-satellite altitude technique in this study to create automatic warnings for severe storms and volcanic eruptions.

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Science

Diving deeper into the world’s oceans than ever before

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CNN
 — 

Black smoke appears to rise from chimney-like formations of the hottest and deepest known hydrothermal vents on Earth.

Over the summer, Anna Michel was able to see them for herself — a few miles beneath the ocean’s surface.

Michel, an associate scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, was part of a three-person crew aboard the submersible Alvin as it dove down to the Mid-Cayman Rise. Known as the Beebe Hydrothermal Vent Field, these vents exist on the ocean floor where two tectonic plates are separating about a half an inch (15 millimeters) per year south of the Cayman Islands.

Hydrothermal vents form where rising magma beneath the seafloor creates underwater mountain ranges called ocean ridges.

The chilly seawater seeps through seafloor cracks and becomes heated to 750 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius) as it interacts with the magma-heated rocks. This interaction releases minerals from the rocks, venting out nutrients and providing the perfect ecosystem for unusual marine life that clusters around them.

Alvin, which has been operating for 58 years, reached a record depth of 6,453 meters (4 miles) in July in the Puerto Rico Trench, north of San Juan, Puerto Rico. On multiple excursions, Alvin traveled 6,200 to 6,500 meters (3.8 to 4 miles) below the ocean’s surface after meeting requirements set by the US Navy and Naval Sea Systems Command.

The new range means that about 99% of the seafloor is now within Alvin’s reach as well as that of its pilot and two passengers. It’s the third increase in depth for Alvin since the submersible was commissioned, according to Andrew Bowen, principal engineer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering.

“That was the first time I went to a hydrothermal vent site in person and to me, that was just absolutely incredible,” said Michel, also the chief scientist of the National Deep Submergence Facility that operates Alvin. “We were able to bring humans to see places that we’ve not gone to before with Alvin.”

Michel has worked with remotely operated underwater vehicles for 20 years, but this summer was her first time as an Alvin passenger. Despite the enclosed space of the titanium-encased sub, Michel never felt claustrophobic. Instead, she said it felt like riding in an elevator, and the eight-hour expedition flew by.

“You see a lot more three-dimensionality in real life and your spatial awareness is very different of these huge spires,” she said, referring to the vents.

Scientists will now have direct access to the ocean’s deepest zones, exploring places humans have never been to before. Researchers expect to find new species and study the fundamentals of life.

Michel and University of Rhode Island geophysicist Adam Soule, a professor of oceanography, led five scientific dives for Alvin’s Science Verification Expedition over the summer, traveling to Puerto Rico and the Caymans.

At the Puerto Rico Trench, where underwater cliffs form as the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates collide, the team collected samples of exposed ocean crust and some of the deepest known examples of seafloor organisms. During the Mid-Cayman Rise expedition, researchers took biological and chemical samples from the hydrothermal vents.

Previously, Alvin was only able to travel down 4,500 meters (2.7 miles). The new feat was possible after 18 months of overhauling the 43,000-pound (19,500-kilogram) submersible. Alvin’s new upgrades include a 4K imaging system, a new hydraulic manipulator arm, more powerful thrusters, new motor controllers and an integrated command and control system.

Alvin has contributed to numerous discoveries, including shipwrecks and ocean science. The human-operated vehicle, or HOV, has carried more than 3,000 people on over 5,000 dives to the deep. It’s the only deep-submergence vehicle in the US capable of carrying humans to the deep ocean.

Researchers have used Alvin to study plate tectonics and hydrothermal vents, discover strange sea life — and even explore the RMS Titanic in 1986 after Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientist Robert Ballard located the famed shipwreck. The submersible also helped the Navy locate a missing hydrogen bomb from World War II and took scientists to the seafloor beneath the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010.

“For almost 60 years, the deep-submergence vehicle Alvin has unveiled the ocean’s mysteries — not just for military and national security purposes but also for the scientific benefit of society as a whole,” said Rear Adm. Lorin C. Selby, chief of naval research, in a statement.

The sub uses its two arms to collect samples that can be brought to the surface when Alvin “parks” aboard its ship, the R/V Atlantis. Alvin’s capabilities mean that scientists participating in a dive can capture photos and videos of the seafloor’s alien landscape and rare creatures, conduct experiments and deploy scientific instruments.

Alvin takes its name from Allyn Vine, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution physicist and oceanographer who championed the idea of submersibles that could carry researchers safely through the deep sea to conduct science in an otherwise inaccessible place.

“Alvin is built and maintained to enable new discoveries and provide new insight into the way our planet works,” Michel said. “Every generation of scientists presents new questions, and Alvin has responded in ways that have rewritten textbooks. There’s a new generation waiting to use the sub, and to them we say, ‘Alvin is ready, where do you want to go?’”

Scientists submit proposals to reserve time on Alvin to conduct their research, and the submersible undertakes about 100 dives per year to explore ocean biodiversity, Earth’s crust and the way life thrives at extreme depths.

A variety of other underwater vehicles, including autonomous ones, are increasing exploration possibilities beneath the waves.

“Imagine exploring the Grand Canyon at night with a flashlight,” Bowen said. “Historically, that’s sort of what we’ve been able to do, and Alvin has been a key part of that. Increasingly, we’ve added more technology in the form of drones, tethered vehicles and autonomous systems that really broadens the footprint for the Alvin submersible.

“Visiting the deep ocean is a laborious process. Getting the maximum benefit out of going there is where technology has a huge potential benefit.”

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Science

Lake Mead water crisis is exposing volcanic rock from eruptions 12 million years ago

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CNN
 — 

Lake Mead’s falling water level has exposed several shocking things in recent months – previously sunken boats, old war ships and human remains. Now scientists are reporting a new discovery on Lake Mead’s dry bed: rocks laced with volcanic ash that rained down on southern Nevada during explosive eruptions roughly 12 million years ago.

The record-low water levels are exposing sedimentary rocks that haven’t been seen since the 1930s when the Hoover Dam was built and Lake Mead filled. Among these rocks, researchers with the University of Nevada in Las Vegas found ash deposits from volcanoes in Idaho, Wyoming and California.

“We knew that these ash units existed, but we were surprised to find so many as the Lake Mead water level lowered,” said Eugene Smith, an emeritus professor of geology at UNLV and co-author of the study.

The West’s climate change-fueled drought and overuse of the Colorado River’s water has pushed Lake Mead levels to unprecedented lows. As of September, the lake’s water level was just 1,045 feet above sea level, or around 27% of full capacity.

Scientists are taking advantage of the low levels to study sediment that hasn’t been exposed in nearly a century.

Smith’s research team found white to gray colored volcanic ash weaving through the formerly submerged rocks. They took samples back to their lab to pinpoint the source of the ash, but it wasn’t from a single eruption.

They found evidence of several volcanic blasts millions of years ago from places like the Snake River Plain-Yellowstone area – a tract of inactive volcanoes that stretches across Idaho along the Snake River and into what is now Yellowstone National Park – and eastern California. They also found ash from eruptions only 32,000 years ago – which is not so long ago in the geological time scale.

Jake Lowenstern, a research geologist with the US Geological Survey who is not involved with the study, told CNN that studying volcanic eruptions of the past can help paint a picture of future risk.

The latest discovery in Lake Mead may be one of the “better” collections of volcanic ash from that period of time, Lowenstern said, and it will “be important in allowing us to reconstruct the geologic history of the region, and to understand the frequency of large volcanic eruptions and their impact on the Southwest.”

Ash from even moderately explosive volcanic eruptions can travel hundreds of miles, blanketing areas as far away as several meters with heavy material. Recent eruptions have showed a couple of millimeters of damp ash can disrupt electricity transmission. And when inhaled, the tiny but sharp grains in the ash pose a significant health risk.

“These ashfall events can disrupt transportation and supply networks, close airports, and potentially be a health hazard,” Smith said. “It’s important for local governments to develop plans to deal with this sort of event, like they have for earthquakes and flooding.”

Smith said their latest analysis could help society prepare for future volcanic events, even if from far away volcanoes – as well as “present and future climate change.”

“Studying the past is the key to understanding the future,” Smith said. “By understanding past volcanic events, we can better understand how a future event may affect a large metropolitan area. We can also develop plans to deal with a volcanic eruption when one occurs in the future.”

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World

Long COVID-free, isolated Pacific islands hit with outbreaks

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BANGKOK (AP) — For more than two years, the isolation of the Pacific archipelago nation of Tonga helped keep COVID-19 at bay.

But last month’s volcanic eruption and tsunami brought outside deliveries of desperately needed fresh water and medicine — and the virus.

Now the country is in an open-ended lockdown, which residents hope will help contain the small outbreak and will not last too long.

“We have pretty limited resources, and our hospitals are pretty small,” Tongan business owner Paula Taumoepeau said Friday. “But I’m not sure any health system can cope. We are lucky we’ve had two years to get our vax rate pretty high, and we had a pretty immediate lockdown.”

Tonga is only one of several Pacific countries to experience their first outbreaks over the past month. All have limited health care resources, and there is concern that the remoteness that once protected them may now make helping them difficult.

“Clearly when you’ve got countries that have already got a very stretched, and fragile health system, when you have an emergency or a disaster and then you have the potential introduction of the virus, that’s going to make an already serious situation immeasurably worse,” said John Fleming, the Asia-Pacific head of health for the Red Cross.

Tonga was coated with ash following the Jan. 15 eruption of the massive undersea Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano, then hit with a tsunami that followed.

Only three people have been confirmed killed, but several small settlements in outlying islands were wiped off the map and the volcanic ash tainted much of the drinking water.

The nation of 105,000 had reported only one case of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic — a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary returning to the island from Africa via New Zealand who tested positive in October — and authorities debated whether to let international aid in.

They decided they had to, but despite strict precautions unloading ships and planes from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Britain and China, two Tongan men who worked at the capital’s Queen Salote Wharf handling shipments tested positive on Tuesday.

“Tonga is just out of luck this year,” said Samieula Fonua, the chairman of Tonga Cable Ltd., the state-own company that owns the sole fiber-optic cable connecting the nation to the rest of the world. “We desperately need some good news.”

The two were moved into isolation, but in tests of 36 possible contacts, one’s wife and two children also tested positive, while the others tested negative, the local Matangi Tonga news site reported.

It was not clear how many people might have come into contact with the dockworkers, but the government released a list of locations where the virus could have spread, including a church, several shops, a bank and a kindergarten.

Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni imposed an open-ended lockdown starting 6 p.m. on Wednesday. It could be particular arduous for Tongans because most have been without any internet connections since the volcanic eruption severed the fiber optic cable to the country.

One of the infected dock workers has since tested negative, but remains in quarantine, and 389 others have been cleared of COVID-19, Sovaleni told reporters in Tonga. But he said Friday that a primary contact to one of the people infected had tested positive, and ordered the lockdown extended another 48 hours.

The government has been primarily communicating with residents by radio addresses, and Fonua said his crews estimate they may have to replace an 87-kilometer (54 mile) section of undersea cable. They were hoping to restore service by next week.

It is not yet known what variant of the virus has reached Tonga, nor who brought it in. Officials have stressed that the aid deliveries were tightly controlled, and that it is not yet proven the virus came in that way.

Sailors aboard the Australian aid ship HMAS Adelaide reported nearly two dozen infections after an outbreak on board, but authorities said it had been unloaded at a different wharf. Crew members aboard aid flights from Japan and Australia also reported infections.

“The people are OK with the lockdown because they understand the reason why, so the corona doesn’t spread over our little country,” Tulutulu Kalaniuvalu, a 53-year-old former police official who runs a business, told The Associated Press. He added that most Tongans depend on crops they grow on plantations and hope the lockdown is short-lived.

Experience from elsewhere, especially with the prevalence of the rapidly spreading omicron variant, suggests that Tonga faces an uphill battle in trying to contain the outbreak, Indonesian epidemiologist Dicky Budiman told the AP.

Some 61% of Tongans are fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data, but because the country has not yet seen any infections, there’s no natural immunity and it is not clear whether the shots were given long enough ago that they may now be less effective, Budiman said.

He recommended that the government immediately start offering booster shots and open vaccinations to younger children.

“If we race with this virus we will not win,” he said in an interview from Australia. “So we have to move forward by protecting the most vulnerable.”

The October case of the missionary with COVID-19 prompted a wave of vaccinations, and 1,000 people already showed up for a first dose after the current outbreak was detected, Kalaniuvalu said.

Solomon Islands reported its first community outbreak on Jan. 19. With only 11% of its population fully vaccinated, the virus has been spreading rapidly with the Red Cross reporting that less than two weeks later, there are now more than 780 recorded cases and five COVID-19 related deaths.

Elsewhere, Fiji — still reeling from damage caused by Cyclone Cody in early January — has been battling an ongoing spike in cases, fueled by omicron, and cases have been reported for the first time in Kiribati, Samoa and Palau.

Palau has nearly its entire population fully vaccinated, while Fiji has 68% and Samoa 62%, but Kiribati is only at 33%.

The key to ensuring hospitals aren’t overwhelmed is to make sure more people get shots, Budiman said.

“These countries that choose to have this COVID-free strategy, they are very vulnerable,” he said.

Kalaniuvalu said some people have questioned the decision to let the ships carrying aid in to Tonga, but most feel it was necessary to help through the aftermath of the volcano and tsunami, and that the islanders now just had to do their best to minimize the impact of the outbreak.

“To be honest with you, we were one of the luckiest countries in the world for almost three years, now it’s finally here in Tonga,” he said.

“We, the people of Tonga, knew sooner or later the coronavirus would come to Tonga because the corona is here to stay.”

___ Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand.

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World

First aid flights arrive in Tonga after big volcano eruption

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The first flights carrying fresh water and other aid to Tonga finally arrived Thursday after the Pacific nation’s main airport runway was cleared of ash left by a huge volcanic eruption.

New Zealand and Australia each sent military transport planes that were carrying water containers, kits for temporary shelters, generators, hygiene supplies and communications equipment. The Australian plane also had a special sweeper to help keep the runway clear.

The deliveries were dropped off without the military personnel coming in contact with people at the airport in Tonga. That’s because Tonga is desperate to make sure foreigners don’t bring in the coronavirus. It has not had any outbreaks of COVID-19 and has reported just a single case since the pandemic began.

Rear Admiral James Gilmour, the commander of New Zealand’s Joint Forces, said there had been a “mammoth effort” by Tongan troops “to clear that runway by hand. And they’ve achieved that this afternoon.”

Australia said the assistance would help Tonga’s government meet the community’s needs and support the immediate clean-up efforts.

Japan also said it would send emergency relief, including drinking water and equipment for cleaning away volcanic ash. Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and a transport vessel carrying two CH-47 Chinook helicopters would leave possibly Thursday, the Defense Ministry said.

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters that his ministry “will do everything we can for the disaster-hit people of Tonga.”

U.N. humanitarian officials report that about 84,000 people — more than 80% of Tonga’s population — have been impacted by the volcano’s eruption, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said, pointing to three deaths, injuries, loss of homes and polluted water.

Communications with Tonga remain limited after Saturday’s eruption and tsunami appeared to have broken the single fiber-optic cable that connects Tonga with the rest of the world. That means most people haven’t been able to use the internet or make phone calls abroad, although some local phone networks are still working.

One phone company, Digicel, said Thursday it had managed to restore the ability to make international calls from some places by using a satellite link, but that people would need to be patient due to high demand. It said it hoped to enhance its service over the coming days.

A navy patrol ship from New Zealand is also expected to arrive later Thursday. It is carrying hydrographic equipment and divers, and also has a helicopter to assist with delivering supplies.

Officials said the ship’s first task would be to check shipping channels and the structural integrity of the wharf in the capital, Nuku’alofa, following the eruption and tsunami.

Another New Zealand navy ship carrying 250,000 liters (66,000 gallons) of water is on its way. The ship can also produce tens of thousands of liters of fresh water each day using a desalination plant.

Three of Tonga’s smaller islands suffered serious damage from tsunami waves, officials and the Red Cross said.

The U.N.’s Dujarric said “all houses have apparently been destroyed on the island of Mango and only two houses remain on Fonoifua island, with extensive damage reported on Nomuka.” He said evacuations are underway for people from the islands.

According to Tongan census figures, Mango is home to 36 people, Fonoifua is home to 69 people, and Nomuka to 239. The majority of Tongans live on the main island of Tongatapu, where about 50 homes were destroyed.

Dujarric said the most pressing humanitarian needs are safe water, food and non-food items, and top priorities are reestablishing communication services including for international calls and the internet.

Tonga has so far avoided the widespread devastation that many initially feared.

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Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

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First aid flights leave for Tonga after big volcano eruption

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The first flights carrying fresh water and other aid to Tonga were finally able to leave Thursday after the Pacific nation’s main airport runway was cleared of ash left by a huge volcanic eruption.

A C-130 Hercules military transport plane left New Zealand carrying water containers, kits for temporary shelters, generators, hygiene supplies and communications equipment, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said.

Australia also sent a C-17 Globemaster transport plane with another to follow that were carrying humanitarian supplies. The flights were all due to arrive in Tonga on Thursday afternoon.

The deliveries will be done with no contact because Tonga is desperate to make sure foreigners don’t bring in the coronavirus. It has not had any outbreaks of COVID-19 and has reported just a single case since the pandemic began.

“The aircraft is expected to be on the ground for up to 90 minutes before returning to New Zealand,” Defense Minister Peeni Henare said.

Japan also said it would send emergency relief, including drinking water and equipment for cleaning away volcanic ash. Two Hercules aircraft and a transport vessel carrying two CH-47 Chinook helicopters would leave possibly Thursday, the Defense Ministry said.

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters that his ministry “will do everything we can for the disaster-hit people of Tonga.”

U.N. humanitarian officials report that about 84,000 people — more than 80% of Tonga’s population — have been impacted by the volcano’s eruption, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said, pointing to three deaths, injuries, loss of homes and polluted water.

Communications with Tonga remain limited after Saturday’s eruption and tsunami appeared to have broken the single fiber-optic cable that connects Tonga with the rest of the world. That means most people haven’t been able to use the internet or make phone calls abroad, although some local phone networks are still working.

A navy patrol ship from New Zealand is also expected to arrive later Thursday. It is carrying hydrographic equipment and divers, and also has a helicopter to assist with delivering supplies.

Officials said the ship’s first task would be to check shipping channels and the structural integrity of the wharf in the capital, Nuku’alofa, following the eruption and tsunami.

Another New Zealand navy ship carrying 250,000 liters (66,000 gallons) of water is on its way. The ship can also produce tens of thousands of liters of fresh water each day using a desalination plant.

Three of Tonga’s smaller islands suffered serious damage from tsunami waves, officials and the Red Cross said.

The U.N.’s Dujarric said “all houses have apparently been destroyed on the island of Mango and only two houses remain on Fonoifua island, with extensive damage reported on Nomuka.” He said evacuations are underway for people from the islands.

According to Tongan census figures, Mango is home to 36 people, Fonoifua is home to 69 people, and Nomuka to 239. The majority of Tongans live on the main island of Tongatapu, where about 50 homes were destroyed.

Dujarric said the most pressing humanitarian needs are safe water, food and non-food items, and top priorities are reestablishing communication services including for international calls and the internet.

Tonga has so far avoided the widespread devastation that many initially feared.

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Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

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Volcanic ash delays aid to Tonga as scale of damage emerges

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Thick ash on an airport runway was delaying aid deliveries to the Pacific island nation of Tonga, where significant damage was being reported days after a huge undersea volcanic eruption and tsunami.

New Zealand’s military is sending much-needed drinking water and other supplies, but said the ash on the runway will delay the flight at least a day. A towering ash cloud since Saturday’s eruption had prevented earlier flights. New Zealand is also sending two navy ships to Tonga that will leave Tuesday and pledged an initial 1 million New Zealand dollars ($680,000) toward recovery efforts.

Australia also sent a navy ship from Sydney to Brisbane to prepare for a support mission if needed.

Communications with Tonga have been extremely limited, but New Zealand and Australia sent military surveillance flights to assess the damage on Monday.

U.N. humanitarian officials and Tonga’s government “report significant infrastructural damage around Tongatapu,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

“There has been no contact from the Ha’apai Group of islands, and we are particularly concerned about two small low-lying islands — Mango and Fonoi — following surveillance flights confirming substantial property damage,” Dujarric said.

New Zealand’s High Commission in Tonga also reported “significant damage” along the western coast of the main island of Tongatapu, including to resorts and along the waterfront area.

Satellite images captured the spectacular eruption, with a plume of ash, steam and gas rising like a giant mushroom above the South Pacific. Tsunami waves of about 80 centimeters (2.7 feet) crashed into Tonga’s shoreline, and crossed the Pacific, causing minor damage from New Zealand to Santa Cruz, California. The eruption set off a sonic boom that could be heard as far away as Alaska.

Two people drowned in Peru, which also reported an oil spill after waves moved a ship that was transferring oil at a refinery.

New Zealand’s Acting High Commissioner for Tonga, Peter Lund, said there were unconfirmed reports of up to three fatalities on Tonga so far.

One death has been confirmed by family: British woman Angela Glover, 50, who was swept away by a wave.

Nick Eleini said his sister’s body had been found and that her husband survived. “I understand that this terrible accident came about as they tried to rescue their dogs,” Eleini told Sky News. He said it had been his sister’s life dream” to live in the South Pacific and “she loved her life there.”

The explosion of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) north of Nuku’alofa, was the latest in a series of dramatic eruptions. In late 2014 and early 2015, eruptions created a small new island and disrupted air travel to the Pacific archipelago.

Earth imaging company Planet Labs PBC had watched the island after a new vent began erupting in late December. Satellite images showed how drastically the volcano had shaped the area, creating a growing island off Tonga.

The U.N. World Food Program is exploring how to bring in relief supplies and more staff and has received a request to restore communication lines in Tonga, Dujarric said.

One complicating factor is that Tonga has managed to avoid outbreaks of COVID-19. New Zealand said its military staff were vaccinated and willing to follow Tonga’s protocols.

New Zealand’s military said it hoped the airfield in Tonga would be opened either Wednesday or Thursday. The military said it had considered an airdrop but that was “not the preference of the Tongan authorities.”

Communications with the island nation is limited because the single underwater fiber-optic cable that connects Tonga to the rest of the world was likely severed in the eruption. The company that owns the cable and repairs could take weeks.

Samiuela Fonua, who chairs the board at Tonga Cable Ltd., said the cable appeared to have been severed about 10 to 15 minutes after the eruption. He said the cable lies atop and within coral reef, which can be sharp.

Fonua said a ship would need to pull up the cable to assess the damage and then crews would need to fix it. A single break might take a week to repair, he said, while multiple breaks could take up to three weeks. He added that it was unclear yet when it would be safe for a ship to venture near the undersea volcano to undertake the work.

A second undersea cable that connects the islands within Tonga also appeared to have been severed, Fonua said. However, a local phone network was working, allowing Tongans to call each other. But he said the lingering ash cloud was continuing to make even satellite phone calls abroad difficult.

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Associated Press journalist Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.



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