Underwater Volcanic Eruption Creates New Island In Tonga
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The Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga is home to a new island. The land mass results from the lava and ash spewed by the Home Reef seamount, an undersea volcano that came to life on September 10, 2022. While the volcano has been erupting steadily since, it poses no risk to the residents of the South Pacific archipelago.
The circular island began to form about 33 feet (10 meters) above sea level within just 11 hours of the initial eruption. The newly-formed land mass measured just one acre (about 4,000 square meters) on September 14, 2022. But recent satellite imagery from the US Geological Services indicates that the baby island now extends an impressive 6 acres (24,000 square meters)!
Before packing your bags, be warned that the emergent island is far from a tropical paradise. In fact, it is not even sturdy enough to walk upon yet. "It's more like a large layer of ash, steam, and pumice over the ocean," Rennie Vaiomounga, a geologist at the Tonga Geological Services, told the Washington Post.
NASA researchers do not believe the new island will be around for too long. Land masses from underwater eruptions typically get eroded by ocean waves and currents within a short period of time. However, there have been some exceptions. An island created by the 1995 eruption of the nearby Late'iki volcano lasted 25 years. Whether the newly-born Home Reef island will survive for that long remains to be seen.
Resources: NPR.com, Washingtonpost.com, earthobservatory.nasa.com, space.com
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145 Comments
- aestheticfoggy2almost 2 yearsWaaaaa!?!??!😲😲😲 I never new this could even HAPPEN!!! Or maybe I was spouses to no and I'm just a dum!y🤓🤓
- skye_elliottalmost 2 yearsGlad no one lives on there now or at least lived on there. Then bye bye people that would javed lived on there.
- evee8calmost 2 yearsCool, I did not know that could happen I hope it can stay there forever.
- milacutiealmost 2 yearswow now i wanna see in real life
- yukiialmost 2 yearsThat's Amazing I wonder if there are more nearby or at least a little close
- rylopagylalealmost 2 yearsThis might not be safe because its only ashes and dust and the water is full of ashes and dust and the fish might be dead and will smell like dead fish and the island will smell like dead fish and might be dangerous not trying to come against anyone
- evee8calmost 2 yearsthere always a but
- desmariealmost 2 yearsThat's soo cool!! I agree they should make it a country!
- evee8calmost 2 yearsit an Iand it can not be country
- penowyloribialmost 2 yearsomg
- 123novaalmost 2 yearsMIND BLOWING
- evee8calmost 2 yearsit mind blown
- qbmaster8733almost 2 yearsvery cool and I would like to go to the island