Tofua

Google Earth Placemark
  • Country
  • Subregion Name
  • Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  • 515 m
    1689 ft
  • -19.750°
  • -175.070°
  • Elevation
  •  
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

13 July-19 July 2011

Based on information from Tonga Meteorological Services and pilot observations, the Wellington VAAC reported that a cloud from Tofua rose to an altitude of 1.2 km (4,000 ft) a.s.l.

Sources: Wellington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)



 Available Weekly Reports




2011: July |


13 July 2011              Back to Top

Based on information from Tonga Meteorological Services and pilot observations, the Wellington VAAC reported that a cloud from Tofua rose to an altitude of 1.2 km (4,000 ft) a.s.l.

Sources: Wellington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)




Summary of eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI).

Start Date Stop Date Eruption Certainty VEI Evidence Activity Area or Unit
2009 Mar 2009 Mar Confirmed 1 Historical Lofia crater
[ 2008 Mar 7 ] [ 2008 Nov 21 ] Uncertain 1   Lofia crater
2006 May 2006 Jun Confirmed 0 Historical Lofia crater
2004 Oct Unknown Confirmed 1 Historical Lofia crater
[ 2004 Mar 19 ] [ 2004 May 29 ] Uncertain 1  
[ 1993 Apr 29 ] [ Unknown ] Uncertain 0   Northern part of caldera
1958 Dec 31 ± 120 days 1960 (?) Confirmed 2 Historical Northern part of caldera
1906 Dec Unknown Confirmed 2 Historical Northern part of caldera
1906 Jan 1906 Feb Confirmed 2 Historical Northern part of caldera
1885 Oct (in or before) Unknown Confirmed 2 Historical
1854 Unknown Confirmed 2 Historical
1792 Unknown Confirmed 0 Historical
1774 Jun Unknown Confirmed 2 Historical

The low, forested Tofua Island in the central part of the Tonga Islands group is the emergent summit of a large stratovolcano that was seen in eruption by Captain Cook in 1774. The first Caucasian to set foot on the 515-m-high island was Capt. William Bligh in 1789, just after the renowned mutiny on the "Bounty." The volcano's summit contains a 5-km-wide caldera whose walls drop steeply about 500 m. Three post-caldera cones were constructed at the northern end of a cold fresh-water caldera lake, whose surface lies only 30 m above sea level. The easternmost cone has three craters and produced young basaltic-andesite lava flows, some of which traveled into the caldera lake. The largest and northernmost of the cones, Lofia, has a steep-sided crater that is 70 m wide and 120 m deep and has been the source of historical eruptions, first reported in the 18th century. The fumarolically active crater of Lofia has a flat floor formed by a ponded lava flow.