Tsunami warning for entire US West Coast and Hawaii

US West Coast and Hawaii issued tsunami warning as four-foot-high waves hit California

Tsunami warnings have been issued to the entire West Coast of the US, as waves as high as four feet have already reportedly hit the shores of California. Coastal areas of Japan, Australia, and Hawaii have also been placed on alert.
Residents of Californian state cities including Santa Cruz, and Santa Monica have experienced some minor flooding. “A Tsunami is occurring. Remember – the first wave may not be that largest. Move away from the shore and head to high ground”, warned the National Weather Service, with some experts saying they believe the worst is yet to come.
These warnings come after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted underwater off the coast of Tonga earlier today, Saturday, January 15.  This triggered an earthquake measuring 7.4 magnitudes on the Richter scale. The Pacific island was subsequently reported awash with waves of around 2.7ft high. Local residents fled to the safety of higher ground.
Social media footage shows huges waves hitting the shores of coastal areas on Tonga, while satellite images captured the moment the volcano exploded. The eruption lasted some eight minutes, sending plumes of smoke, gas, and ashes several miles into the atmosphere.
With Tonga’s capital located just 65km north of the eruption, the Tonga Meteorological Services issued a tsunami warning for the whole island. Taaniela Kula, the head of Tonga Geological Services advised residents to cover all open water supplies in case of acid rain, and urged people to stay safely indoors.
Officials in Fiji, some 500 miles away from the eruption, reported that the explosion made “loud thunder sounds”.
Japanese authorities are anticipating possible three-metre waves to hit the southern Amani islands, and their meteorological agency has issued tsunami warnings. An official from the entity warned residents to stay away from coastal areas until the tsumani warning had been lifted, as reported by thesun.co.uk.

A tsunami warning is now in force for all of Tonga following this evening's #underwater violent #volcano eruption.
Please #StaySafe.Folded hands#Tsunami #Tonga #Oceania pic.twitter.com/86OopJ7aZE

— Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) January 15, 2022

(Video from Yesterday January 14, 2022)
This was the first eruption of the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai Volcano The First Day (Friday, January 14)
#volcano #Tonga #HungaTonga #HungaTongaHungaHaapai #underwater #volcano#Tsunami #Tonga #Oceania pic.twitter.com/YN9dLIl3VA

— Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) January 15, 2022

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