Tongan inspection team heads to undersea volcano
NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga (AP) — Scientists sailed Thursday to inspect an undersea volcano that has been erupting for days near Tonga — shooting smoke, steam and ash thousands of feet (meters) into the sky above the South Pacific ocean.
Authorities said Thursday the eruption does not pose any danger to islanders at this stage, and there have been no reports of fish or other animals being affected.
Spectacular columns are spewing out of the sea about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the southwest coast off the main island of Tongatapu — an area where up to 36 undersea volcanoes are clustered, geologists said.
Trade winds continued to blow gas and steam away from the island Thursday.
Tonga's police deputy commander Taniela Faletau said coastal villages close to the roiling ocean site were not yet at risk and that no warnings had been issued.
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 on Monday morning, after a series of sharp earthquakes were felt in the capital, Nuku'alofa.
"This is not unusual for this area and we expect this to happen here at any time," said Keleti Mafi, Tonga's geological service head.
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, Mafi 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.
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According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.9 earthquake has struck in the Pacific Ocean approximately  south-southeast of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga, generating a tsunami.  It struck at 6:17 a.m. (local time) and was registered at a depth of only 6.2 miles (10km).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) had earlier issued a tsunami warning for Tonga, Fiji, American Samoa, Samoa, Niue and the Kermadec Islands, which was later canceled.  The warning did not include Hawaii.

"Sea level readings confirm that a tsunami was generated. This tsunami may have been destructive along coastlines of the region near the earthquake epicenter," said the PTWC in a statement posted on their website. The size of the tsunami was not known.

There were no reports of damage, injuries or deaths. According to the USGS, over 6,000 people live in the region hit by the quake. The USGS says damage could be minor in Havelu and 'Ohonua of Tonga, but residents are not concerned. One resident said that when morning arrived, people were "laughing" at the tsunami warning. No major waves were reported.

On Wednesday, a volcano near the country's coastline began to erupt sending plumes of smoke and ash into the sky. The volcano is roughly  from the Tonga coast.