15 January 2022 - HTHH Tsunami Survivor Stories

REMEMBERING THE HTHH TSUNAMI -
15 January marks the 2nd anniversary of the Tonga's volcanic eruption and tsunami. The tsunami killed three persons locally, and was measured and heard regionallly and across the Pacific, and around the world.  

Tsunamis are powerful, coming ashore as fast rising walls of water, receding bearing the seafloor and flapping fish, and then returning again and again as dark silt- and debris-laden waves.  For survivors of damaging tsunamis, they are unforgettable experiences that inscribe lifelong lessons on how to be safe from the next tsunami. 

Collecting interviews from persons who witnessed the tsunami have been an essential part of every post-tsunami survey, as the eyewitness accounts are keys for gaining a full understanding of the event.

Talking to people can yield important information about the tsunami characteristics, how people responded to natural warnings or to official warnings, evacuation behavior such as triggers and routes, and pre-event awareness and preparedness, and the effectiveness of response and relief efforts.  Often, these personal recollections, which give a human face to the tsunami experience (such as an escape), end up playing an important and highly effective role in outreach and education.

Nine months of the 15 January 2022 Hunga Tonga Hunga Haa'apai volcanic eruption and tsunami, independent consultant and tsunami researcher Jose Borrero (also a Research Associate at the Univ of Southern Californiat Tsunami Research Center), as part of the HTHH Post-Tsunami Field Survey, conducted several interviews of persons who experienced the tsunami in the Ha'atafu, Tongatapu peninsula.  The interviews were collected into a series of six short films that highlight some of the amazing stories of escape and survival.

Among them are Moana's Escape (Part 6), narrated by Moana Paea, proprietor of the Ha'atafu Beach Resort in Western Tongatapu.  Their area was one of the hardest hit from the tsunami, and this resort, along with many others along the coast were completely destroyed.  In this video, Moana describes how she and her staff safely evacuated guests and themselves as the tsunami hit the coast.  

The video Boys on the Beach (Part 5) recounts a group of friends enjoying a day on the beach, adjacent to the Ha'atafu Beach Resort. All was going well until the the Hunga volcano decided to do its thing and a large unexpected surge rushed up the beach.  Several videos show their escape as the water swirled onto their car.  

The full set of videos, with commentary, are available here.