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Here are a few photos of the Tongan ash-affected sunsets and sunrises in Alice Springs. This is at my house in central Australia 5000km from Tonga. Anyone else get the same?
Ha'apai ash cloud causing spectacular sunsets in Alice Springs, Australia. January 2022
This week's Tonga eruption and tsunami are unfortunately not unique. Krakatoa had exactly the same sequence in 1883. The caldera collapsed, seawater poured into the magma chamber and the blast was heard in Perth 3,000km away. The resultant tsunami destroyed 300 towns and villages, and killed more than 36,000 people.
Check out aerial photos below of the Tonga caldera collapsing just before it erupted.
The Tongan Ha'apai eruption was triggered by a landslide that collapsed the volcano's caldera into the sea. This allowed seawater to pour into the magma chamber, causing a super-heated 'phreatomagmatic' steam eruption. It gives a characteristic look as seen in the Grenada stamps above and the Ha'apai photo below.
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai phreatomagmatic eruption, Jan 2022
Check out this beautiful 1897 Tonga stamp. It is the Ha'apai volcano that went off with a bang a few days ago 😮. The islands are but a glimpse of the full volcano that rises 2km from the sea floor. The photo below shows the ash plume starting to collapse upon itself to create a pyroclastic surge across the sea. Of course, this is not what caused all the devastation - it was the tsunami triggered by the explosion that did that.
Here are a few photos of the Tongan ash-affected sunsets and sunrises in Alice Springs. This is at my house in central Australia 5000km from Tonga. Anyone else get the same?
Ha'apai ash cloud causing spectacular sunsets in Alice Springs, Australia. January 2022
Indonesia 1983. 110rp. Krakatoa eruption.
Indonesia 1983. 275rp Krakatoa tsunami.
This week's Tonga eruption and tsunami are unfortunately not unique. Krakatoa had exactly the same sequence in 1883. The caldera collapsed, seawater poured into the magma chamber and the blast was heard in Perth 3,000km away. The resultant tsunami destroyed 300 towns and villages, and killed more than 36,000 people.
Check out aerial photos below of the Tonga caldera collapsing just before it erupted.
Ha'apai eruption caldera, Tonga. January 2022.
Grenada 2015. $3.25 minisheet. Kick 'em Jenny volcano.
The Tongan Ha'apai eruption was triggered by a landslide that collapsed the volcano's caldera into the sea. This allowed seawater to pour into the magma chamber, causing a super-heated 'phreatomagmatic' steam eruption. It gives a characteristic look as seen in the Grenada stamps above and the Ha'apai photo below.
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai phreatomagmatic eruption, Jan 2022
Tonga 1897. 2/- Ha'apai (Haabai) volcano stamp
Check out this beautiful 1897 Tonga stamp. It is the Ha'apai volcano that went off with a bang a few days ago 😮. The islands are but a glimpse of the full volcano that rises 2km from the sea floor. The photo below shows the ash plume starting to collapse upon itself to create a pyroclastic surge across the sea. Of course, this is not what caused all the devastation - it was the tsunami triggered by the explosion that did that.
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai eruption, Jan 2022