Nuku’alofa: Toxic clouds spit out the volcano that erupts in Tonga can dispose of acid rainfall in the Pacific Kingdom, potentially poison drinking water and damage the skin and eyes of people, emergency services have warned.
Remote Hunga Tonga-Husa Ha’apai Volcano erupted Monday, sending a plum 18 kilometers (11 miles) to the air, said Geological Services Tonga (TGS).
The police reported that there was no injury from the eruption but TGS said at the end of Tuesday that dust and gas could produce acid rainfall if mixed with water in the atmosphere.
It suggests residents to eliminate leaf gutters from their rainwater storage system until everything is finished.
“Symptoms of exposure to acid rain are itchy and irritation of skin, opaque and changing color vision if exposed to the eye,” he said.
“If the eyes or skin are exposed to acid rain, please see the doctor or doctor for the right treatment.” The volcano sits on uninhabited islands about 65 kilometers (41 miles) north of the capital of Tonga Nuku’alofa.
Volcano last lived in 2015, creating a new island structure in his caldera.
The flight red code was issued after the eruption, advising the airline to avoid the area, producing Air New Zealand canceling flights from Auckland to Nuku’alofa on Tuesday.