Underwater volcano erupts

An undersea volcano near Tonga has been shooting smoke, steam and ash thousands of feet into the sky above the South Pacific ocean...

Spectacular columns are spewing out of the sea about six miles from the southwest Coast off the main island of Tongatapu, an area where up to 36 undersea volcanoes are clustered, geologists said.

The eruptions do not pose any danger to those living on nearby islands, and there have been no reports of fish or other animals being affected.

Police were waiting for a Government team of officials and scientists to survey the area and report on their observations before taking any action.

Coastal residents said the steam and ash column first appeared earlier this week, after a series of sharp earthquakes were felt in the capital, Nuku'alofa.

The underwater eruption was taking place near the low-lying twin volcanic islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai, and within sight of the capital, Nuku'alofa.

Large amounts of pumice thrown up by the erupting volcano would likely clog beaches on the Southern Coast of nearby Fiji islands within a short time, Tonga's geological service head said.

Tonga, a 170-island archipelago about halfway between Australia and Tahiti, is part of the Pacific "ring of fire" - an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching from Chile in South America through Alaska and down through Vanuatu to Tonga.

Source: www.itn.co.uk