Post-Tsunami Field Survey of the 15 January 2022
Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami
From January 15th, 2022, at approximately 4:47 pm local time (0347 UTC), several weeks of heightened activity at the Hunga volcano (Cronin et al., 2017) 65 km northwest of Tongatapu, culminated in an 11-hour long violent eruption. During the first 45 minutes of this eruption a massive atmospheric pressure wave and a series of tsunamis were generated and observed around the world (Carvajal et al., 2022, Lynett et al., 2022). The eruption severed an undersea telecommunications cable resulting in a near-blackout in communications between Tongatapu and the world as only satellite phones and HF radio were able to work. Restoration of communications through the repair of the cable took until 22 February 2022 (5.5 weeks).
The first successful science / tsunami warning centre communications with the Tonga Meteorological Service (TMS) was 25 January, 10 days after the eruption. when the International Tsunami Information Centre (ITIC) Director was finally able to connect to TMS by satellite phone. This communication resulted in three requests from the Government of Tonga for support to repair and re-strengthen their tsunami warning and weather forecasting operations.
Due to the immediate post-disaster needs of the community and because of travel restrictions to and within Tonga caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a comprehensive field survey of the impacts and effects of tsunami runup and inundation was not conducted in the immediate aftermath of the event. Unlike for past damaging tsunamis, no International Tsunami Survey Teams were able to deploy to work with Tongan government officials to conduct detailed surveys although local investigators. These surveys are important because they increase tsunami risk knowledge, strengthen support for community recovery, support future improvements to the Tsunami Early Warning System (TEWS) and contribute to the fundamental understanding of the tsunami phenomenon itself.
To address this need, the Government of Tonga first officially requested support from New Zealand or Australian scientists to conduct a post-tsunami survey. Given the travel restrictions, New Zealand, USA and SPC, sent in lieu surveying equipment to the Tonga Geological Services (TGS) to assist in collecting runup and inundation data.
Additionally, the ITIC requested that The Pacific Community (SPC) engage an experienced international tsunami scientist (Dr. Jose C. Borrero) to provide remote training and assistance on post-tsunami field data collection techniques and to compile the results of a series of surveys into a technical report. This report and the data collected are provided for download below.
Document | Format |
Summary of findings (and other info) - web site | Link |
Journal: Tsunami Runup and Inundation in Tonga from the January 2022 Eruption of the Hunga Volcano, Borrero et al., Pure and Applied Geophysics (2022) | PDF (8 MB) Link |
Report: Field Survey of Runup and Inundation in Tonga from the January 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai Volcano, Borrero et al. (2022) UNESCO & The Pacific Community release new report on 2022 HUNGA TONGA – HUNGA HA’APAI Tsunami (UNESCO News, 12 January 2023) |
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Tsunami Observations Summary Maps Global Regional |
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Spreadsheet with Tonga tsunami field survey summary data | XLSX (66 KB) |
Spreadsheets with detailed tsunami field data | ZIP (767 KB) |
Tonga Meteorological Services Response Timeline and Initial Report | PDF (3.2 MB) |
Videos from Tonga Geological Services of the Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai volcano eruption on January 14m 2022 | Link |
Videos from Tonga Geological Services of the aftermath from the Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai tsunami | Link |
Field Survey Photos | |
Kanokupolu | ZIP (368 MB), Kanokupolu NIWA ZIP (234 MB), Otukaha ZIP (31 MB), Beach shots ZIP (451 MB), Sediment ZIP (111 MB), Other files |
Kanokupolu Ha’atafu | ZIP (103 MB), Ha’atafu 1 ZIP (54 MB), Ha’atafu 2 ZIP (327 MB), Sediment 1 ZIP (353 MB), Sediment 2 ZIP (40 MB), Damage |
Likuloa | ZIP (844 MB), Liku’alofa 1 ZIP (446 MB), Liku’alofa 2 |
Utukehe, White Sands | ZIP (206 MB), Utukehe 1 ZIP (206 MB), Utukehe 2 ZIP (332 MB), Sediment 1 ZIP (329 MB), Sediment 2 ZIP (40 MB), Other |
Kala’au, Piliki | ZIP (248 MB), Kala’au 1 ZIP (274 MB), Kala’au 2 ZIP (77 MB), Fanga Piliki 1 ZIP (97 MB), Fanga Piliki 2 ZIP (60 MB), Fanga Piliki 3 |
Nomuka, Mango, Fonoifua | ZIP (170 MB), Nomuka 1 ZIP (308 MB), Nomuka 2 ZIP (246 MB), Nomika Iki 1 ZIP (300 MB), Nomika Iki 2 ZIP (374 MB), Nomika Iki 3 ZIP (303 MB), Mango ZIP (109 MB), Fonoifua ZIP (146 MB), Others |
Tonumea, Tungua | ZIP (415 MB), Tonumea 1 ZIP (422 MB), Tonumea 2 ZIP (258 MB), Tungua 1 ZIP (337 MB), Tungua 2 ZIP (64 MB), Crater |
Tongatapu, Atata | ZIP (41 MB), Boat ZIP (301 MB), Atata ZIP (64 MB), Miscellaneous ZIP (61 MB), Other |
Tongatapu: Good Samaritan, Keleti | ZIP (265 MB), Samaletane ZIP (150 MB), Keleti ZIP (20 MB), Other |
Tongatapu: South Coast | ZIP (251 MB), Hufangalupe ZIP (220 MB), Ahounonou ZIP (239 MB), Katea ZIP (87 MB), Halaika ZIP (16 MB), Emeline ZIP (31 MB), Taupoou |
Tongatapu: Northeast Coast | ZIP (12 MB), Kolonga ZIP (108 MB), Manuka ZIP (75 MB), Halava Popua Patangata ZIP (181 MB), Patangata ZIP (64 MB), Rubbish dump |
Atata, Fafa | ZIP (304 MB), Atata ZIP (348 MB), Fafa ZIP (52 MB), Extras |
Tongatapu: North | ZIP (103 MB), Te’ekiu Nukunuku ZIP (196 MB), Sopu ZIP (160 MB), Nuku’alofa ZIP (103 MB), Sunsets, etc |
‘Eua | ZIP (58 MB), Blue Water ZIP (85 MB), ‘Eua Wharf ZIP (70 MB), Ha’aluma ZIP (39 MB), Ha’atu’a ZIP (380 MB), Ohonua Pausa ZIP (40 MB), Ohonua SOT ZIP (76 MB), Road from Ta’anga to Ohonua ZIP (46 MB), Ta’anga ZIP (18 MB), Wharf |