A closer view of the volcano and vent
A close-up view captured on April 10, 2021 shows the westernmost portion of the island when it was partially covered in vegetation, followed by the view on January 6, 2022, after the volcano dumped tremendous amounts of ash onto the island. The third image in the sequence, captured on January 18, 2022, shows the shattered remnant of what is now once again the island of Hunga-Ha’apai.
The big eruption of January 15 happened following the partial collapse of the caldera’s northern rim, causing tremendous amounts of water to interact with the magma chamber below, resulting in the explosion.
