Pictures showing the impact of a volcanic eruption in Tonga have been released following a leak online.
Leaked images showing the aftermath of a volcanic eruption in Tonga have now been shared online. The images taken by the New Zealand Defence Force include military notes describing the extent of the damage caused.
The New Zealand Defence Force took the aerial images on a military flight made to collect information on the area, known as a reconnaissance flight. After, they shared a group of photos with the media but did not include images of the islands themselves. The forty leaked images show the islands and the impact of the eruption, including volcanic ash, flooding and debris.
The leaked images are some of the first to be shared of the country since the volcanic eruption and tsunami took place. A collection of photographs taken by Maxar Technologies via satellite has also been shared online. The before images were taken on December 29 and the after images were taken on January 18, days after the volcano erupted.
