Tsunami alert issued for US, Canada after volcanic eruption in Tonga

Following an underwater volcanic eruption that hit the Pacific country of Tonga, a weather center issued a tsunami warning for the western coast of US and Canada.

According to a statement by the Tsunami Warning Center of US National Weather Service, a tsunami warning has been issued for the west coast of the US from Alaska to California, and the west coast of Canada.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said Hawaii could also be affected, but damage to other islands hit by tsunami so far is minimal.

The volcano, located 65-kilometers north of Tonga capital Nuku'alofa, had begun spewing ash, steam and gas Friday morning.

Tonga is a Polynesian kingdom of more than 170 South Pacific islands.

Authorities said the volcanic eruptions were seven times more severe than those on Dec. 20, 2021.

Meanwhile, the National Office of Emergency of the Interior Ministry in Chile also issued a tsunami warning for San Felix Island, Juan Fernandez Archipelago and Easter Island, located in the Antarctic and Pacific Ocean.

It asked the public to evacuate the coastal areas on the islands, and follow the instructions of the authorities.