Home to about 100,000 people, Tonga comprises some 170 islands, of which 36 are inhabited.Īs most Tongans rely on the ocean for their food and livelihoods, scientists have warned of fish perishing or migrating following the eruption. In the ocean, ash can be harmful to marine life, according to the Tonga Geological Services, which has warned that nearby seawater was contaminated with toxic volcanic discharge and that fishermen should “assume fish in these waters are poisoned or poisonous”. While scientists have yet to investigate on the ground, available satellite imagery shows a blanket of ash on land. Tom Schils, a marine biologist at the University of Guam, said: “Vast areas of the reefs in the immediate impact area at Hunga Tonga are probably buried and smothered by large deposits of volcanic ash.”Įruptions such as the one on Saturday also release more iron into the water, which can boost the growth of blue-green algae and sponges that further degrade reefs, Schils told Reuters. (Al Jazeera) Marine lifeįalling ash could also damage coral reefs, which were already under threat before the eruption. The United Nations humanitarian affairs office said Fiji was monitoring its air quality and has advised people to cover their household water tanks and stay indoors in the event of rain. Satellite imagery suggests the plume is spreading westwards, which means Tonga could be spared some of the acid rain at the expense of Fiji. “Depending on how long the eruptions last, food security could be compromised,” Cronin said. “There is likely to be acid rain around Tonga for a while to come,” Shane Cronin, a volcanologist at the University of Auckland, told Reuters news agency.Īcid rain causes widespread crop damage and could affect Tongan staples such as taro, corn, bananas and garden vegetables. The eruption has been releasing sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide – two gases that create acid rain when they interact with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. In the first official update, Tonga’s government on Tuesday said multiple people have been injured and three have died. Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai, an undersea volcano, erupted on Saturday triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific. The huge volcanic eruption in the Pacific island nation of Tonga could cause long-lasting damage to coral reefs, erode coastlines and disrupt fisheries, scientists studying satellite images have warned.
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