Tonga Volcano

Sixty-two residents of the remote Mango Island have had to relocate to nearby Nomuka Island after losing their homes and belongings, and the government warned they may have to relocate again to the main island due to food and water shortages.

The government also released the names of the two Tongan nationals who died in the tsunami: Lataimaumi Lauaki, a 49-year-old woman from Nomuka; and Telai Tutu’ila, a 65-year-old man from Mango Island. They were buried in the days after the disaster.

The eruption has covered the Pacific islands in ash, cut power and severed communications.

Up to 80,000 people there could be affected, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) told the BBC.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the tsunami had wreaked "significant damage".

No deaths have been reported so far.

Information remains scarce, however, and New Zealand and Australia are sending surveillance flights to assess the extent of the damage.

The US warned of strong currents and waves, and coastal flooding.

The huge underwater volcanic eruption caused waves of more than a metre to crash into Tonga.

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano was heard across the South Pacific, and eventually as far away as the US.

A tsunami warning has been issued for parts of Australia's east coast and Tasmania, and the north and east coast areas of New Zealand's North Island.

The series of volcanic eruptions were also heard in Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Cook Islands.

Multiple communities in Fiji experienced surges soon after the tsunami and warnings were generated following the eruption again of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai seamount volcano.

Video footage from Samoa and the Cook Islands showed similar activity.

Tonga remains the hardest hit with destruction of homes, vehicles and infrastructure.

Parts of New Zealand were under tsunami advisory after the violent eruption of the underwater volcano.

The Department of Environment has analysed sulphur dioxide concentration levels over Fiji, and has confirmed that they are below the World Health Organisation's air quality guidelines.

The Department will continue to closely monitor the situation and work with the Fiji National Disaster Management Office and Fiji Meteorological Service.