Niuafo'ou Volcano

Updated: May 11, 2025 17:36 GMT - refresh

Shield volcano

Tonga, Tonga Islands, -15.6°S / -175.63°W

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Summit height: 260 m / 853 ft

Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

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News/Updates | Earthquakes

Typical eruption style: unspecified
Niuafo'ou volcano eruptions: 1985

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Background

Niuafo'ou ("Tin Can Island") is a low, 8-km-wide island that forms the summit of a largely submerged basaltic shield volcano. Niuafo'ou is an isolated volcanic island in the north central Lau Basin about 170 km west of the northern end of the Tofua volcanic arc. The circular island encloses a 5-km-wide caldera that is mostly filled by a lake whose bottom extends to below sea level. The inner walls of the caldera drop sharply to the caldera lake, named Big Lake (or Vai Lahi), which contains several small islands and pyroclastic cones on its NE shore. Historical eruptions, mostly from circumferential fissures on the west-to-south side of the island, have been recorded since 1814 and have often damaged villages on this small ring-shaped island. A major eruption at Niuafo'ou in 1946 forced evacuation of most of its 1200 inhabitants.
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Smithsonian / GVP volcano information

Significant volcanic eruptions: Niuafo'ou volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Niuafo'ou has had at least 8 confirmed eruptions, all documented by historical records or observations.
Additionally, there are 6 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Niuafo'ou volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Niuafo'ou volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Niuafo'ou can be found on the news page of Niuafo'ou volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths
?? 1985 Mar 21 - Mar 22	Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs.	?
?? 1959 Jul 2 ±182 d.	Uncertain Eruption	?
?? 1947 Jan	Uncertain Eruption	?
1946 Sep 9 - Sep 17	North flank Historical obs./docs.	2
1943 Sep 26 - Oct 16 ±30 d.	SW flank Historical obs./docs.	2
1935 Dec 7 - 1936 Feb	South flank Historical obs./docs.	2
1929 Jul 25 - Jul 26	West flank Historical obs./docs.	2
1912 Oct 15 ±5 d.	West side, near Alele 'Uta village Historical obs./docs.	2
?? 1887	Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs.	2
1886 Aug 31 - Sep 18 ?	NE side of caldera Historical obs./docs.	4?
1886 Aug 31 (eruption 1886 Aug 31 - Sep 18 ?)	Historical obs./docs.	4	1-50 (*)	Info
1886 Aug 31: None known to have been killed during eruption, but several missing. Several older men, including chiefs of rank, died of shock; total of dead and missing is 11. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1867 Apr 12	SSW flank Historical obs./docs.	1
1853 Jun 24	SW caldera rim (Ahau village area) Historical obs./docs.	?
1853 Jun 24	Historical obs./docs.	0	25	Info
Lava flows from fissure cutting directly through village of Ahua killed 25 persons. Chief of Selusalema and 7 subjects were killed by lava flows. Estimates of fatalities range from 8 to 70-80. (ref #1412) An eruption took place at Niuafoou, an island to the north, which destroyed nearly one half of its inhabitants; it occurred about midnight and so sudden was the overflow of lava from several apertures in the vicinity of a village that the people who ran for the shore were overtaken by it and destroyed. This eruption was not felt at Tongataboo. (ref #13311) The John Wesley, which arrived yesterday, is last from Auckland (N.Z.), she reports..an eruption that had taken place at the Island of Nenafooa (Friendly Islands), on 26th June last...the whole village has been destroyed, the lava taking a course of 3.5 miles long, by three quarters of a mile in width. Violent shocks of earthquake were felt previous to the eruption. (ref #13314) Ref #13312 It has also suffered a sad calamity in the eruption of a volcano, which has carried away a town with a chapel and 25 persons. p. 91 On the 24th of June, 1853, the island was visited by many severe and heavy earthquakes; but as these are exceedingly common in their occurrence, no alarm whatever was felt. The earthquakes were most violent in a district called Ahau; most fortunately, this being the least populated, although most valuable, part of the island. In the village of Ahau there resided a few families, numbering in all from 40-50 individuals. On the evening of the above day nothing remarkable was observed, nor the slightest indications of the appalling catastrophe about to occur. All the inhabitants retired as usual to rest. At midnight, an earthquake or unusual violence awoke the whole village in alarm; but this having subsided entirely, with the exception of a continued tremor of the ground, and an apparently distant rumbling sound, the people again betook themselves to rest, little thinking that they were actually sleeping over the very mouth of a volcano, whose fires should, in two short hours, hurry many of them into eternity, and devastate the land! Such, however, was the awful reality. At two A.M., of the 25th of June, another tremendous earthquake rent the ground in sunder in the very center of the devoted village; and in an instant the devouring flames and streaming lava of a new-formed volcano burst forth with terrific and overwhelming force. The whole was but the work of a few minutes. Houses with their inmates, and among them the chapel, were swallowed up, and consumed by the ascending flames. Of the inhabitants, 25 were thus instantaneously swallowed up, or lost in the deluge of liquid fire. 18 individuals were saved as by a miracle, and some of these had their backs scorched by the pursuing flames. One man, in flying, stumbled into a rent of the earth, but happily regained his footing, and the next moment flames of fire were shooting up from the hole into which he fell. The suddenness and utterly unexpected character of this remarkable visitation and the awful terror inspired in the minds of those who thus marvelously escaped, preclude the possibility of many particulars being given. In fact, as daylight dawned, the principal work of destruction was accomplished. In a very short time, about ten miles of the most valuable gardening land in the island was covered to the depth of from five to twelve feet of molten lava, which soon hardened into solid rock. The tremendous nature of this eruption will be better understood, when I state that no less than thirty distinct craters can be counted, some of which are large. p. 141-142 On the 24th of June last, three dreadful earthquakes shook the island in the night; and the earth opened and swallowed up a village. 25 persons were consumed in the burning gulf, together with their dwelling-houses and chapel; but 18 escaped to the mountains. A great part of the land is destroyed. p. 158 Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #13311 Sawkins, J. (1856): On the movement of land on the South Sea Islands. The Quarterly journal of the Geological Society of London, 1856, vol. 12, p. 383-384. #13312 Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (1854): The Wesleyan missionary notices : relating principally to the foreign missions first established by the Rev. John Wesley, A.M. , the Rev. Dr. Coke, and others, and now carried on under the direction of the Methodist Conference. 3rd Series Vol. 1. London. #13314 The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (1854): Shipping Intelligence: abridged from the Empire and Herald. Published 29 March 1854. Link Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1840	Discredited Eruption
?? 1814	Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs.	2

(*) Estimated numbers

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Niuafo'ou Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Niuafo'ou volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Niuafo'ou occurred in 1946.

+How often does Niuafo'ou volcano erupt?

Since 1853, Niuafo'ou volcano has had at least 8 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 21.5 years.

+How active is Niuafo'ou volcano at present?

Niuafo'ou volcano is occasionally active: Since 1900, it has had 6 eruptions, and been active during 6 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Niuafo'ou has been in eruption one in 21 years on average. The last eruption was in 1946 and ended 79 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Niuafo'ou volcano?

The largest eruption of Niuafo'ou volcano in historic times occurred in 1886. It ranks as a sub-plinian eruption with a magnitude 4 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

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Niuafo'ou Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).