Volcano near Tonga

from w
On youtube you can see the black and white volcano spit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlLZ9Nf96aM
It caused a tsunami warning in Suva and seaside areas but then the warning was cancelled. Meanwhile kids and workers stayed home. Where do you run to - I guess Suva is okay with hills but what about some of those little flat islands eh?

Pumice is expected to be swept into the beaches of Fiji. The Fijian people call it soata and it's an abrasive lightweight rock with holes in it and a great resource for cleaning pots and knives so will be welcome perhaps by the cooks and gardeners.

Pumice expected on Fiji beaches
20/03/2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
from Fijilive:
In the aftermath of the underwater volcanic eruption in Tonga this week, pumice (floating volcanic rocks) may be swept on to Fiji’s beaches, but most likely after several months.

According to Fiji’s Mineral Resources Department, pumice is expected after such volcanic activity nearby.

According to the Volcano Discovery Journal, a new eruption is taking place in the Tongan islands, between the small islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai, which are part 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.

Pilots and residents from adjacent islands observed a huge ash and steam plume from the location of the eruption, rising up to 5-7 kilometres.

There have also been reports of pumice rafts (large amounts of pumice stones stuck together) drifting out to sea. According to NASA (the United States National Aeronautic and Space Administration), their 2006 pictures show pumice drifting from Tonga to nearby islands in a volcanic explosion that year. The Mineral Resources Department said it is likely that pumice from the volcanic eruption may come to Fiji but it could several months for this to happen.