Hunga volcano eruption caused massive caldera collapse and seabed changes

An international research team led by Dr. Marta Ribó from the Auckland University of Technology has revealed the massive scale of the 2022 Hunga volcano eruption near Tonga. Published in Nature Geoscience, the study details how a rapid submarine caldera collapse displaced 8.9 cubic kilometers of volcanic material, an amount equivalent to approximately 1,500 Great Pyramids.

The eruption caused the Hunga caldera to deepen from 150 meters to 850 meters. This event triggered deadly volcanic-tsunamis, global atmospheric pressure waves, and destructive underwater flows that damaged subsea communication cables.

Researchers noted that while the displacement was massive, it represented less than 30% of the magma reservoir. The findings aim to improve global monitoring and early-warning systems for volcanic-tsunamis, particularly as many of the 74 submarine volcanoes along the Tonga–Kermadec Arc remain unexplored.