Underwater volcano erupts in sight of Tongan capital

• Print
• Email

Updated March 18, 2009 22:04:04

An underwater volcanic eruption has sent up spectacular clouds of smoke, steam and ash within sight of the Tonga capital, Nukualofa, and a team from the Tongan Ministry of Lands is heading to the area west of the main island of Tongatapu by boat on Thursday to investigate the phenomenon, which began with an earthquake on Monday. A similar undersea eruption occurred in the same area in 2002, but eventually subsided.


Presenter Bruce Hill

Speaker: Tongan Government Geologist Kelepi Mafi

• Listen:
• Windows Media

• Anwar Ibrahim to concentrate on politics
• Australia accused of rewarding Burma too soon
• North Korean propaganda builds up Kim Jong-un
• PNG leader won't resign over Indonesia airspace incident
• Rudd praises Indonesian cooperation on asylum seekers
• Anwar Ibrahim cleared of sodomy charges
• Elephant poo paper at hit with Bali tourists
• Musharraf announces return to Pakistan