On January 15, the submarine volcanic eruption near Tonga took place. The consequences were noticeable all over the world, including in Spain. Various reports came in of a special phenomenon; the meteotsunami that causes the water level to rise significantly.
Last weekend something happened on the other side of the world that was noticeable in Spain two days later. The submarine volcanic eruption near Tonga initially causes significant damage to the archipelago itself. However, it also triggered a shock wave that went around the world and in the Mediterranean Sea caused the water level to temporarily rise by half a meter in some places.
Pressure wave causes sudden water rise in Spain
The volcanic eruption caused a pressure wave through the air. The explosion was so violent that the pressure and sound could be heard thousands of miles away days later. Some pressure waves were so powerful that they even made a second orbit around the Earth. The change in air pressure has repercussions on the sea, which can cause a sudden rise and fall in sea level.
Consequences of Tonga volcanic eruption noticeable in Spain
The effects in Spain were mainly felt in the Balearic Islands, especially in Menorca, where the sea level had temporarily risen half a metre. The same phenomenon occurred in Mallorca, the rise here was limited between 10 and 30 centimetres. Along the coast of Valencia, in Torrevieja and Torre de la Horadada to be precise, monitoring stations have seen the water level rise by 20 cm, AEMET reports. One of the people at the monitoring station in Orihuela made this video.
Meteotsunami goes around the world
This phenomenon is called a meteotsunami. It creates a sudden increase (or decrease) in the water level due to a sudden change in air pressure. The consequences for the inhabitants of the island group are probably considerable. It is still unclear exactly what the consequences will be for the archipelago because internet and telephone connections with this area are currently partially down.
Despite fatalities, climate consequences are minimal
The effects were also noticeable in countries other than Spain. Sudden high waves in Peru caused by the tsunami killed two women. The effects on the climate seem minimal, according to experts, especially because the eruption took place underwater. The volcano has emitted very little sulfur dioxide and is therefore unlikely to change the Earth’s climate.
¡Continúan las fluctuaciones de la presión atmosférica! Hoy (17/01/2022), barómetros #Orihuela (#Alicante). Siguen detectándose posibles ondas de choque provocadas por la gigantesca erupción del Volcán #HungaTongaHungaHaapai, sur del Pacífico. Todo esto a 18000 km de distancia. pic.twitter.com/B9R1fyXYzQ
— MeteOrihuela (@MeteOrihuela) January 17, 2022
