New images have been released that reveal the devastation left in the wake of a volcano eruption and tsunami near the island nation of Tonga.
The explosion and leftover clouds have mostly disappeared after erupting 19 miles into the air and depositing ash, gas, and rain over large parts of the Pacific. The explosion also generated large waves that launched across the Pacific Ocean and affected several island nations, including Tonga. Now the outside world is moving to understand the scale of events and to grasp who and what was injured in the process.
Initial imagery from the New Zealand Defense Force reveals that several beaches and coasts are still covered in ash from the volcano explosion.
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Other satellite images offer a more extensive scale view of the area. Satellite imagery provided by Planet Labs PBC shows how the town of Kanokupolu in Tongatapu, Tonga, changed from Friday to Sunday, after the volcano and tsunami. The island region is visibly covered with ash.
Other satellite images reveal that the port at Nuku’alofa, Tonga, appeared barren of life days after the eruption.
The eruption left large swathes of Tonga inaccessible after disrupting the internet connection there. This made it difficult for New Zealand government officials to confirm the number of deaths or destruction on the island. At least 80,000 people would have been affected by the tsunami, officials from the Red Cross told Reuters. At least three deaths have been confirmed, according to officials.
New Zealand will deploy two Royal Navy ships to its fellow Pacific Island nation on Tuesday, Defense Minister Peeni Henare said in a statement. The vessels will take at least three days to arrive in Tonga. The ships will provide disaster relief supplies, including water.
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All the homes on Mango Island have been destroyed, said the office of Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni. A distress signal was detected at Mango and Fonoi on Monday, where less than 110 people live.
