|
|
Country: | Tonga | |
| Subregion Name: | Tonga Islands | ||
| Volcano Number: | 0403-04= | ||
| Volcano Type: | Submarine volcano | ||
| Volcano Status: | Historical | ||
| Last Known Eruption: | 2009 | ||
| Summit Elevation: | 149 m | 489 feet | |
| Latitude: | 20.57°S | 20°34'0"S | |
| Longitude: | 175.38°W | 175°23'0"W | |
| The small islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai cap a large seamount located about 30 km SSE of Falcon Island. The two linear andesitic islands are about 2 km long and represent the western and northern remnants of the rim of a largely submarine caldera lying east and south of the islands. Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai reach an elevation of only 149 m and 128 m above sea level, respectively, and display inward-facing sea cliffs with lava and tephra layers dipping gently away from the submarine caldera. A rocky shoal 3.2 km SE of Hunga Ha'apai and 3 km south of Hunga Tonga marks the most prominent historically active vent. Several submarine eruptions have occurred at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai since the first historical eruption in 1912. | |||
