Home Reef volcano, Tonga Islands: news & activity updates

The Tonga Geological Services (TGS) reported that a new submarine eruption at the volcano started on 10 September at 01:39 local time judging from a gas column detected in satellite images. Read allThe Tonga Geological Services reported that a new submarine eruption at Home Reef began at 0139 on 10 September based on a volcanic gas plume detected in satellite images. By 1259 material had formed a new small island, about 70 m in diameter and an estimated 10 m above the ocean surface. Gas emissions rose less than 1 km above the sea. Read all The Tonga Geological Services reported that a new submarine eruption at Home Reef began at 0139 on 10 September based on a volcanic gas plume detected in satellite images. By 1259 material had formed a new small island, about 70 m in diameter and an estimated 10 m above the ocean surface. Gas emissions rose less than 1 km above the sea. Read allPumice 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 in diameter, with the largest clasts up to 17 cm in diameter. Read all Observers from a Royal New Zealand Airforce aircraft reported venting and a sulphur smell from Home Reef on 8 December. The island was about 450 m in diameter, circular in shape, and rose to a height of 73 m (240 ft) a.s.l. The water around the island was cloudy with sediment. Read allPumice rafts originally reported to have been from Metis Shoal are now confirmed to have originated from an island-building eruption of the submarine Home Reef volcano. On 12 August, possibly four days after the beginning of the eruption, a sailor spotted the new island after encountering pumice rafts the previous day. The encounter was written in an on-line journal that described the island as four-peaked. Read all A new (likely ephemeral) island has risen to the surface in the Tonga islands (ufficially 169 islands), that now count 170 islands. Read allReports have been received of large pumice rafts in the Fiji Islands. On 16 September observers aboard the M/V National Geographic Endeavour noted almost continuous rows of pumice that day as they traveled about 90 km east-southeast to Vatoa Island, where the pumice was present on the beaches. Large rafts of pumice were also passing through the northern Lau Group around Naitauba Island on 19 September. Read all