A new eruption of the Home Reef volcano, Tonga
Home Reef is an underwater volcano in the Tonga Archipelago, characterised by cyclical eruptions which can last from a few days to several weeks. While not constantly active, its eruptions can produce hazards such as tsunamis, ashfall, and pyroclastic flows, as in the eruption of January 2022, which caused widespread damage to nearby islands.
On 7 December 2024, a new eruption began at the Home Reef volcano in Tonga. This marks the second eruptive period of Home Reef in 2024, following one that occurred between June and July.
A strong thermal anomaly was detected by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on the same day that the eruption began, along with a horizontally spreading plume extending over 8 kilometres.
The Copernicus Sentinel satellites deliver key information on volcanic activity worldwide, providing insights on eruptions and their impacts to help keep affected communities safer.
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