Photo: VCG

The tsunami triggered by a massive underwater volcanic eruption in Tonga on Saturday has not brought disastrous effect on China's coast so far, the Tsunami Advisory Center of China's Ministry of National Resources said on Sunday.

The center told the Global Times in a statement that the transoceanic tsunami triggered by the eruption of Hunga Tonga, a volcano on the subduction boundary between the Pacific plate and the Indo-Australian plate and affected the whole Pacific coastal region.

"Countries including Chile, Japan and New Zealand have monitored tsunami waves with the highest amplitude of 1.5 meters. But the waves has not brought disastrous effect on China's coast as China has monitored tsunami waves earlier on Sunday with a maximum amplitude of roughly 20 centimeters detected in East China's Zhejiang Province," said the Tsunami Advisory Center.

Hunga Tonga has erupted for several times in 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2021. Its eruptions have not stopped as of press time and may last for a few weeks or months, the center added.

Countries including Japan, New Zealand, Tonga, Vanuatu, Fiji, Chile and Australia have released tsunami warnings.

The tsunami arrived on Japan's Pacific coast on Saturday evening. It first hit Amami and Tokara islands and later extended to the coast of Iwate Prefecture with the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warning that waves of up to three meters could hit some areas, Japan Times reported

China's Consulate-General in Osaka warned Chinese citizens to pay attention on Sunday after Japan continuously released tsunami warnings and disaster prevention instructions about multiple cities along the coast.

Pay close attention to the latest warning and disaster prevention information released by JMA and avoid going to dangerous places since the tsunami-related secondary risks may continue to happen, the Consulate-General said.