Following the eruption of the Hongga Tonga Hong Hapai undersea volcano, the tsunami that stormed the island of Tonga, driving the population to areas as high as the mountains, at a time when similar waves were observed on the American island of Samoa.

Tonga Oceania, an archipelago of 176 islands located in the South Pacific, is located on the Hawaiian-New Zealand sea route, with a radius of 260 kilometres.

Authorities in this State had earlier announced a tsunami warning.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or the extent of the damage, as contacts with the small State remained problematic.

A video posted on social media showed huge waves hitting beaches in coastal areas and swirling around houses and buildings.

The New Zealand Army, for its part, said that it was monitoring the situation and remained alert and willing to assist if requested.

Authorities in the Fiji Islands and nearby Samoa also issued a warning demanding that citizens avoid the coastline because of strong currents and dangerous waves.

The Ilands Pesence news site reported that a convoy of police and army soldiers had evacuated King Tobu VI of Tonga from his palace near the beach.

The King was among the many inhabitants who headed for higher areas.

In a related context, a United States-based Tsunami Monitoring Centre said that it was ad hoc monitoring in the capital of Tonga and the capital of American Samoa.