Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis or justification: Putin
Shahid Beheshti University Public Relations: The Israeli aggression targeted a building belonging to Shahid Beheshti University with the aim of sabotaging Iran's cultural and scientific infrastructure
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The Fordow nuclear facility was bombed once again, 24 hours after the US aggression.
Fars News Agency, citing informed sources: The Iranian Armed Forces used the Kheibar-Shekan, Emad, Ghadr, and Fattah missiles in their attacks on the Israeli entity today
Sirens sound from the occupied Golan Heights to Akka and Nahariya
Sirens sound again in the occupied Golan Heights and al-Jalil
Israeli media: Power outages reported in several settlements following a missile attack targeting an infrastructure facility
Israeli media: Strategic location in the south likely hit
Israeli media outlet: Reports of missiles falling in at least 7 areas, including Askalan, Safad, and Isdud
Israeli media: Sirens sounding non-stop across 'Israel' with explosions heard throughout the area

Tonga volcano explosion equaled power of largest US nuclear test

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 15 Apr 2023 08:26
4 Min Read

According to scientists, the 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano unleashed 1,000 times more energy than the Hiroshima bomb.

  • x
  • Tonga volcano explosion equalled most powerful US nuclear test
    A satellite image of Tonga’s underwater volcano eruption on 15 January 2022. (Reuters)

According to geologists, a massive undersea volcanic eruption in Tonga last year had a magnitude similar to the US's most powerful nuclear blast.

Scientists used eyewitness accounts, tide gauge data, satellite data, evidence of broken windows, and other sources to calculate that the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption, which occurred on 15 January 2022 and was felt around the world, likely involved five blasts. The final emitted energy was equivalent to around 15 megatons of TNT.

That translates to almost 1,000 times the power of the Hiroshima bomb in 1945, putting the volcanic event on par with the most powerful nuclear weapon ever exploded by the United States: the Castle Bravo bomb detonated in Bikini Atoll in 1954.

Read more: Dozens in Hiroshima protest Japan stance on nuclear weapons

The team, which is based in the United States and New Zealand, went on to say that the volcanic event, which occurred 65 kilometers (40 miles) from the country's main island, included both eruptions - which resulted in huge volcanic plumes being thrust into the stratosphere - and explosions of steam, which caused sonic booms and were the main cause of the related tsunami.

Based on a mix of data sources, the researchers' computer models of the event imply that the western shore of Tofua Island witnessed waves of up to 45 meters in height, a conclusion they claim is supported by traces of vegetation scars at the same altitude obtained by satellite and drone data.

Related News

Eruption of Indonesia’s Ibu volcano triggers village evacuations

Scientists warn against eminent eruption of Mayon Volcano

People in Fiji, some 500 miles away, reported feeling the earth and buildings shake for hours as a result of the eruption.

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic event is estimated to have killed six individuals, including four in Tonga and two in Peru who drowned as a result of abnormally massive waves induced by the volcanic activity.

According to the team, the colossal waves in sections of Tonga were expected to result in a higher death toll, however, this was not the case.

In the journal Science Advances, the team wrote that “The main factors that led to this, we suggest, are the quirk of the location, a worldwide pandemic, and increased evaluation drills and awareness efforts carried out in the years prior," adding that “the main settlements in all of Tonga safely face Nuku’alofa Lagoon, the best possible scenario to duck the full brunt of a mega-tsunami."

Tofua, an island in Tonga, is desolate, while other locations hit by strong waves were lightly populated, with tourist resorts shuttered due to Covid.

Additionally, other populated islands are located on a carbonate platform where shallow seas help to keep the waves at bay.

The latest study builds on previous research that found the Tonga volcano eruption had the largest plume ever recorded, with an ash cloud reaching 57km (35 miles) in height.

Dr. Mohammad Heidarzadeh of the University of Bath, who was not involved in the new study but has conducted research on the event, stated that the recent work provided the most thorough modeling of the Tonga tsunami to date by utilizing a diversified observation dataset.

He explained that “Modelling tsunamis from volcano eruptions is a challenging task and this has been nicely done by [the team],” further adding, “It is interesting that the results are consistent with our previous study on this event, where we reported a maximum tsunami wave height of 90m.”

  • Volcano
  • Volcano eruption
  • Hiroshima

Most Read

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, speaks with then-Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis in a meeting in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, January 17, 2017 (AP)
Politics

Iran holds the initiative after nuclear strikes, Shamkhani says

Blood stains a religious painting inside Mar Elias Church, where a suicide bomber detonated himself in al-Dwela, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, June 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN, regional governments condemn Damascus church bombing

A B-2 bomber arrives at Whiteman Air Force Base Missouri, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after returning from a massive strike on Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday (AP)
Politics

Israeli media: US-Israeli strike on Iran failed to end war

China UN Ambassador Fu Cong addresses the United Nations Security Council, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Politics

China slam US strikes on Iran nuclear sites

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS