20 Jan 2022

Tonga eruption: science behind 15metre high tsunami waves

From Morning Report, 8:35 am on 20 January 2022

Almost five days on from one of the largest volcanic eruptions in the past 30 years, more details are emerging about the impacts of Tonga's Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano blast and subsequent tsunami.

In the first official update from the island kingdom, the Tongan government said the tsunami generated waves of up to 15 metres, hitting the west coasts of Tongatapu, 'Eua and Ha'apai Islands.

While it might seem like science fiction, principal scientist at GNS Bill Fry says in a disaster this historic, that's absolutely possible.