Kingdom of Tonga

A massive volcanic eruption near the Kingdom of Tonga sent people nearby scrambling for higher ground and prompted warnings of tsunamis throughout the Pacific.While the physical impact in Alaska has been relatively minor, Alaskans with ties to Polynesian island communities say the emotional impact of waiting for news of friends, family and loved ones is heavy.

Communities across the West Coast woke up Saturday morning to tsunami advisory alerts. An underwater volcano near the Kingdom of Tonga had erupted and sent waves thousands of miles across the ocean.Waves of up to about three feet reached parts of Alaska by Saturday morning. But hours before those waves arrived, sounds from the blast reached the homes of many Alaskans — all the way from Juneau to the Aleutians.