A new eruption is taking place in the Tonga islands in the South Sea, between the small islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai, which are the tiny suaerial parts of a large underwater volcano located about 30 km SSE of Falcon Island. The last eruptions in this area were reported in 1912, 1937 and 1988. ...plus [lire toutes]

Pumice from the Home Reef eruption that began early-to-mid August 2006 reached the eastern Australian coast in March 2007. A substantial stranding of the pumice in mid-April extended for more than 1,300 km along the Queensland and northern New South Wales coast. Pumice clasts ranged in size from 1-4 cm indiameter, with the largest clasts up to 17 cm in diameter. A visit to the area in February 2007 revealed a pumice mound barely visible over the waves.

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A new (likely ephemeral) island has risen to the surface in the Tonga islands (ufficially 169 islands), that now count 170 islands.
The new island is located between the islands of Kao in the Ha'apai Group and Late in the Vava'u Group, and was formed by recent activity of underwater Home Reef volcano, that has built ephemeral islands in the past as well. The present eruption started on August 12-13 eruption. Large pumice rafts drifting to the Fiji Islands were observed, some several miles across.
The new island was 800 m long and 400m wide as on October 4, 2006. Hot lakes are visible on the ASTER thermal bands, maximum temperature measured: 64.7C.

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