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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bat2007" data-source="post: 6535356" data-attributes="member: 134658">Spewing clouds of smoke, ash  and steam thousands of feet into the sky, these dramatic images and  video  (below) show the raw power of an undersea volcano erupting.The spectacular columns blasted out of the South Pacific  yesterday six miles off the coast of Tonga's main island Tongatapu. The eruption can be seen clearly from the capital, Nuku'alofa, although residents only reported seeing smoke rising from the sea on Wednesday, two days after it is believed to have begun'It's a very significant eruption, on quite a large scale,'  said Keleti Mafi, head of  the country's geological service.  <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FBC4DE000005DC-256_959x569.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> There she blows: The undersea volcano erupts off  the coast of Tonga sending plumes of smoke and steam into the sky       <a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FBC8A2000005DC-331_962x1075_popup.jpg" target="_blank"> Enlarge    <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FBC8A2000005DC-331_962x1075.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> </a>     Towering above:  The sheer power of the volcanic  eruption could be seen for many miles as smoke rose into the air  But authorities said today  that the eruption does not pose any danger to islanders at this stage, and there have been no reports of fish or other animals being affected.No warnings  have been issued to the coastal villages close to the volcano, which is  one of 36 undersea volcanoes clustered in that area. The situation is being helped by trade winds which continue to  blow gas and steam away from the island.     <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FBC89E000005DC-365_959x649.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> Choppy waters: The rolling seas beneath the full  fury of the undersea volcano which is part of a cluster of 36 in the  area     <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FB829F000005DC-281_961x642.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />   Rare sight: Spectators edge closer to the drama  being played out in front of them just six miles off Tonga's main island  of Tongatapu    <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FCBADE000005DC-596_960x378.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> Visible from space: The puff of white is the  eruption in Tonga captured by a satellite orbiting Earth  <a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FD016A000005DC-944_306x275_popup.jpg" target="_blank"> Enlarge    <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FD016A000005DC-944_306x275.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> </a>     The eruption took place close to Hunga Tonga.  The main island below is Tongatapu Those living nearby said the columns of steam and ash  first appeared on Monday morning, after a series of sharp earthquakes  were felt in the capital, Nuku'alofa.'This is not unusual for  this area and we expect this to happen here at any time,' Mr Mafi said,  adding that a similar eruption took place there in 2002.Scientists  believe the underwater eruption was taking place to the west of the  low-lying twin volcanic islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai, within  sight of Nuku'alofa.Large amounts of  pumice thrown up by the erupting volcano would be likely to clog beaches on the southern coast of nearby Fiji islands within a short time, he said.Tonga, a  170-island archipelago about halfway between Australia and Tahiti, is part of the Pacific 'ring of fire' - an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching from Chile in South America through Alaska and down through Vanuatu to Tonga.       <a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FBC4DA000005DC-667_961x455_popup.jpg" target="_blank"> Enlarge    <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FBC4DA000005DC-667_961x455.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> </a>     Awe-inspiring: The debris from the offshore  eruption is expected to drift over to the southern coast of Fiji and  clog its beaches    <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03F7269A000005DC-336_962x495.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> The column of steam and ash first appeared on  Monday, after a series of sharp earthquakes were felt in Tonga's  capital, Nuku'alofa    <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/19/article-1163121-03FBC4D6000005DC-223_961x486.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> No danger: The smoke can be seen six miles off  the main Tongan island of Tongatapu but it is not a threat to the health  of residents of the island   <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The U.S. Geological Survey says that a  7.9 earthquake has struck near Tonga, prompting a tsunami warning for  adjacent islands in the South Pacific. The USGS says that the quake  struck about 130 miles (200 kilometers) south-southeast of the Tongan  capital of Nuku'Alofa at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). It struck  Friday morning local time. There were no immediate reports of injuries  or damage. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami  warning for neighboring islands, but it was not immediately known if a  tsunami had been generated. It also advises that  some coastal areas of Hawaii could see a rise in sea level and strong  currents lasting up to several hours.</li> </ul>                                       <a href="http://www.boston.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/bcom_small.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a>                                Local Search Site Search                                                                                                              Scientists sailed  out to have a closer look at the eruptions of an undersea volcano off  the coast of Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean today. Tonga's head  geologist, Kelepi Mafi, said there was no apparent danger to residents  of Nuku'alofa and others living on the main island of Tongatapu.  Officials also said it may be related to a quake with a magnitude of 4.4  which struck last March 13 around 35 kilometers from the capital at a  depth of nearly 150 kilometres. (I know this is an off-day posting, but  really, thought the images were worth it - <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html" target="_blank">12  photos total</a>)<a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t01_18348447.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a>An undersea volcano erupts off the coast of Tonga,  sending plumes of steam, ash and smoke up to 100 meters into the air, on  March 18, 2009, off the coast of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images)           <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t02_18338671.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo2" target="_blank">2</a>An  undersea volcano erupts off the coast of Tonga, tossing clouds of  smoke, steam and ash thousands of meters into the sky above the South  Pacific ocean, Tuesday, March 17, 2009. The eruption was at sea about 10  kilometers from the southwest coast of the main island of Tongatapu, an  area where up to 36 undersea volcanoes are clustered. (AP Photo/Trevor  Gregory) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo2" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t03_18348429.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo3" target="_blank">3</a>First  in a series of undersea volcano eruption photos off the coast of Tonga,  taken March 18th by photographer Dana Stephenson. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo3" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t04_18348431.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo4" target="_blank">4</a>Second  in a series of undersea volcano eruption photos off the coast of Tonga,  taken March 18th by photographer Dana Stephenson. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo4" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t05_18348437.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo5" target="_blank">5</a>Third  in a series of undersea volcano eruption photos off the coast of Tonga,  taken March 18th by photographer Dana Stephenson. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo5" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t06_18348433.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo6" target="_blank">6</a>Fourth  in a series of undersea volcano eruption photos off the coast of Tonga,  taken March 18th by photographer Dana Stephenson. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo6" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t07_18348439.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo7" target="_blank">7</a>Fifth  in a series of undersea volcano eruption photos off the coast of Tonga,  taken March 18th by photographer Dana Stephenson. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo7" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t08_18348441.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo8" target="_blank">8</a>Sixth  in a series of undersea volcano eruption photos off the coast of Tonga,  taken March 18th by photographer Dana Stephenson. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo8" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t09_18347711.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo9" target="_blank">9</a>An  undersea volcano erupts about 10 kilometers off the Tongatapu coast of  Tonga sending plumes of steam and smoke hundreds of meters into the air.  (LOTHAR SLABON/AFP/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo9" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t10_18347717.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo10" target="_blank">10</a>An  undersea volcano erupts off the coast of Tonga on March 18, 2009. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo10" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t11_18348451.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo11" target="_blank">11</a>An  undersea volcano erupts off the coast of Tonga on March 18, 2009. (Dana  Stephenson/Getty Images) <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/undersea_eruptions_near_tonga.html#photo11" target="_blank">#</a> <img src="http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tonga_03_19/t12_18348423.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></blockquote>

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