Tonga more powerful than atomic bomb

The volcanic eruption in Tonga was hundreds of times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb, NASA says


PACIFIC OCEAN
New Zealand


1 Before eruption: Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai – two pre-existing islands joined into single landmass in 2015 eruption

HUNGA HA’APAI
500m 1,640ft
1
Caldera
HUNGA TONGA


2 After eruption: Eruption of Jan 15 was so powerful that all new land has gone, along with “large chunks” of two older islands

2
Elevation (m)
0 25 50 72 >100


Hiroshima nuclear bomb 
15 kilotons
15kt

Mount St. Helens eruption, 1980 
24 megatons
24Mt

Tonga’s eruption unleashed energy equivalent to up to 30 megatons (30 million tonnes) of TNT
30Mt

Krakatoa eruption, 1883
200Mt

1 kiloton = 1,000 tonnes

1 megaton = 1,000,000 tonnes


Source: NASA
Pictures: NASA
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