Geologists inspect underwater volcano site off Tonga

Campbell Cooney, Pacific correspondent

Last Updated: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:48:00 +1100

Local geologists are among those who've inspected the site a series of underwater volcanic eruptions off the coast of Tonga.

Tongan journalist George Lavaka was one of the first people to travel to the site of the eruption, situated around 35 nautical miles off the coast of the capital Nuku'alofa.

While it was originally thought there was only one eruption, Mr Lavaka says they witnessed a number of seperate ones, around the coastline of the small island of Hunga Ha'apai.

"There were lots of dead fishes and dead birds," he said.

"All black, like a black coffin with nothing living on it at all.

The eruptions began on Monday, but government geologists have been unable to inspect the site until Thursday, due to negotiations over who would pay the diesel fuel bill for a Tongan Navy Patrol Boat.

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