2 dead from flooding in Peru as damage to Tonga remains unclear
Two people have drowned in Peru after high waves from an undersea volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga struck the Peruvian coast Sunday, Reuters reports.
The San Francisco Bay area also saw some flood damage, according to the local ABC affiliate.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Sunday that the tsunami that struck Tonga had "a significant impact on the foreshore on the northern side of [Tongan capital city] Nuku'alofa, with boats and large boulders washed ashore," The New York Times reported. Tongan King Tupou VI was evacuated from his palace by the sea.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to BBC, the few locals who have managed to get messages to the outside world say Tonga looks "like a moonscape," having been covered by a thick coating of ash.
The full extent of tsunami damage in the Polynesian archipelago nation remains unclear as ash obstructs the view from the sky and the submarine cable that connects Tonga to the outside world remains out of commission, according to Al Jazeera and The Wall Street Journal.
New Zealand's government has pledged the equivalent of around $340,000 to aid in recovery with the promise of more to follow. Ardern said securing a supply of clean drinking water will be a top priority, with ash and saltwater flooding likely contaminating much of Tonga's supply, per BBC.
The volcano, called Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, shot smoke and ash more than 12 miles into the sky and produced a shockwave felt as far away as New Zealand.
Tonga has a population of just over 100,000 people, of whom 70 percent live on the main island of Tongatapu.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
'Elevating Earth Day into a national holiday is not radical — it's practical'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
UAW scores historic win in South at VW plant
Speed Read Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have voted to join the United Auto Workers union
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 22, 2024
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - dystopian laughs, WNBA salaries, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rain
Speed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
EPA limits carcinogenic emissions at 218 US plants
Speed Read The new rule aims to reduce cancer-causing air pollution in areas like Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How Taiwan minimized earthquake damage
The Explainer The country was rocked but not rolled
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Strong Taiwan earthquake kills 9, injures hundreds
Speed Read At magnitude 7.4, this was Taiwan's biggest earthquake in 25 years
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
EPA sets auto pollution rule that boosts EVs
Speed Read The Biden administration's new rules will push US automakers toward electric vehicles and hybrids
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
More than 150 people dead following earthquake in Nepal
Speed Read The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers continue digging through rubble
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Nearly 1,000 birds dead in one night after striking building in Chicago
Speed Read The birds died after colliding with the McCormick Place convention center next to Lake Michigan
By Justin Klawans Published
-
At least 1 dead at Burning Man as thousands remain stranded from flooding
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published