Tsunami and Huge Underwater Volcano Hit Tonga, Alert Issued for the Entire US West Coast

An undersea volcanic eruption near the Pacific island nation of Tonga caused a 7.4 magnitude earthquake.

Wow! A violent underwater volcano erupted on the Pacific nation of Tonga on Friday. Followed by a shockwave, tsunami & volcanic ash turning day into night. pic.twitter.com/U6krsjwoDR

— Christopher 🇺🇸 Proud Dem (@cwebbonline) January 15, 2022

You can see it from space, it’s that huge, if you watch this video.

A tsunami warning is now in force for all of Tonga following this evening's #underwater violent #volcano eruption.
Please #StaySafe.Folded hands#Tsunami #Tonga #Oceania pic.twitter.com/86OopJ7aZE

— Journalist Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) January 15, 2022

The violent eruption a few hours ago of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano captured by satellites GOES-West and Himawari-8. pic.twitter.com/PzV5v9apF6

— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) January 15, 2022

The air is reportedly so thick with ash, it’s gone pitch black in Tonga.

Raining ash and tiny pebbles, darkness blanketing the sky. pic.twitter.com/hAaiWATYKE

— Dr Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau (@sakakimoana) January 15, 2022

Here’s the tsunami hitting Tonga.

Breaking: A tsunami warning is in effect for the island of Tonga after a volcanic eruption. A video shows a possible tsunami wave hitting the island. pic.twitter.com/rCarK7ShD8

— PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) January 15, 2022

WATCH: Tsunami from Tonga volcano eruption starting to cause minor flooding in Santa Cruz, California pic.twitter.com/ELq8IKMEUV

— BNO News (@BNONews) January 15, 2022

Tsunami waves flood Tonga following the eruption of the country's Hunga volcano. Take a look.pic.twitter.com/IsZVGG1ISY

— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) January 15, 2022

From Daily Mail:

Mere Taufa said she was in her house getting ready for dinner when the volcano erupted.

‘It was massive, the ground shook, our house was shaking. It came in waves. My younger brother thought bombs were exploding nearby,’ Taufa told the Stuff news website.

She said water filled their home minutes later and she saw the wall of a neighbouring house collapse.

‘We just knew straight away it was a tsunami. Just water gushing into our home.

‘You could just hear screams everywhere, people screaming for safety, for everyone to get to higher ground.’

According to the Independent, clouds 12 miles high and three miles wide formed above the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano spewing ash, gas, and steam into the atmosphere. They called it “one of the most violent volcano eruptions ever captured on satellite.”

Its thunder-like sound reportedly could be heard thousands of kilometers away in other countries and sparked tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific as well as for the entire west coast of the United States. The U.S. National Weather Service is warning to stay off the beach and police are ordering the evacuation of marinas in places like Berkeley and Santa Cruz.

Breaking: #Tsunami warning due to #TongaVolcano prompts urgent evacuation of the #Berkeley Marina area:

BERKELEY PD: Mandatory evacuation ordered due to Tsunami warning. People living in the Marina or the area of need to evacuate immediately.

— Doug Sovern (@SovernNation) January 15, 2022