The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued a tsunami warning as a result of an eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai in the Tongan Islands at 3.10pm AEDT yesterday, Saturday, January 15.
BoM has issued a Marine Tsunami Warning for the NSW Coastline, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) is the lead agency for Tsunami in NSW.
To keep members of the community safe, local beaches along the state’s coast have been closed. NSW SES is asking that members of the public stay out of the water until it is safe to do so.
Be careful in rivers as well
Members of the public considering looking to local rivers as an alternative for swimming are reminded that due to recent heavy rain, some river systems across the state are swollen, and may present dangerous swimming conditions.
The Marine Tsunami Warning for the NSW coast could have the following impacts: dangerous rips and waves, strong ocean currents and some localised overflow onto the immediate foreshore exists overall coastal areas.
An initial Land Tsunami Warning for low-lying coastal areas of Lord Howe Island has since been downgraded to a Marine Tsunami Warning this morning (Sunday 16 January). Norfolk Island has also been downgraded to a Marine Tsunami Warning.
NSW SES is working closely with Surf Life Saving, NSW Police and local councils to ensure members of the community are safe.
For the latest updates on the Tsunami warnings, please visit the Bureau of Meteorology’s website, bom.gov.au.
For more information about understating tsunami risks, please visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au/tsunami.
