A new island has emerged between Tonga’s Ha’apai and Vaav’u island groups, after Home Reef’s underwater volcano erupted, oozing lava and ejecting steam and ash into the atmosphere.

Published 2 years ago

The area of the reef above the surface continues to grow and Radio New Zealand’s Pacific correspondent in Nuku’alofa reports that it now covers an area of 15 acres – up from one acre early in September – and is continuing to grow.

Mariners advised to keep away

Tonga’s Geological Services (TGS) has advised that while the volcano poses a low risk to aviation and the residents of Vava’u and Ha’apai, all mariners are advised to keep at least four kilometers (2.49 miles) away from Home Reef until further notice.  Tonga has only recently re-opened its borders to maritime arrivals.

Home Reef is located 25km southwest of Late Island, 22km northeast of Lateiki (Metis Shoal) and 75km northwest of Mo’unga’one Island, at Lat:  18.992°S and Long: 174.775° W (see image below).

In its latest update, TGS said activity has slowed down in the last five days with the last eruption recorded in the early hours of Monday, October 3.

The unnamed island emerged from the Home Reef activity on September 10th, with plumes of steam stretching up to two kilometres into the sky.

Tonga’s head geologist Taniela Kula said the island first appeared in 1984 and had been submerged since 2008.

“It disappeared after a couple of months, that was in 1984. In 2006, it erupted again, the island was up to 800 metres wide, 800 metres by 400 metres then and it submerged again after a year and a half,” Taniela Kula said.

The island is expected to submerge back into the ocean.

January Volcanic Eruption

Three people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed after a tsunami generated by the massive January 15, 2022, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption wiped out all resorts on the western side of Tongatapu.

The eruption generated the second largest sound ever recorded since Indonesia’s Krakatoa eruption in 1883. It also produced the largest atmospheric explosion ever recorded

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Related News:

• Home Reef Volcano Action Non-Threatening (Radio New Zealand)
  
• Volcanic Tongan Island Keeps Growing (Radio New Zealand)
  
• Volcanic Eruption Unleashes Tsunami on Nuku’alofa (Noonsite)
  

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Related Links:

• Tonga Geological Services
  

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