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Date Published: 18/01/2022

ARCHIVED - Tonga volcano shockwave alters atmospheric pressure and sea level on the Costa Blanca

The effects of the underwater volcano eruption in the South Pacific have been felt in the Valencia region

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Tonga volcano shockwave alters atmospheric pressure and sea level on the Costa Blanca

The violent eruption of an underwater volcano near Tonga on Saturday January 15, believed to be one of the biggest recorded on the planet in 30 years, generated a shockwave that altered the atmospheric pressure and sea level in the Valencia region for several hours at the weekend.

Images from space captured the dramatic moment the volcano erupted as a huge cloud of ash and gas was fired up to 20 kilometres into the atmosphere resulting in a tsunami that caused extensive damage and cost lives across the Pacific.

And according to the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), the impact was also recorded on the Costa Blanca.

Prior to 8.30pm on Saturday, the region's barograph register – which records the barometric pressure – had maintained a fairly "smooth" line, which then became "erratic" until the early hours of Sunday morning.

And these atmospheric pressure waves also caused sea level alterations of up to 20 centimetres, according to Puertos del Estado (State Ports) tide gauges in the Valencia region.

Meteorological services around the world claim the shock wave from the eruption travelled around the globe at more than 1,000 kilometres per hour and reached Europe 15 hours after the eruption.

Pressure records from Valencia and Alicante-Elche airports show that the latter detected pressure variations every five minutes after the initial one.

La onda de presión de la erupción del volcán de Tonga ha dado la vuelta al Planeta y se está registrando en barógrafos de todo el mundo. Adjuntamos el registro de presión de ayer y hoy en el aeropuerto de València. Datos cada 15". pic.twitter.com/tDcbwxaRLW
— AEMET_C. Valenciana (@AEMET_CValencia) January 16, 2022

The full extent of the damage caused by the volcano eruption, which has caused a cloud 260 kilometres in diameter that is hampering reconnaissance and assistance efforts, is not yet known.

Image: Japan Meteorological Agency

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