Fonualei (volcano)
Encyclopedia
Fonualei is a volcanic island close to Vavau
in the kingdom of Tonga
.
It was seen by Don Francisco Antonio Mourelle
on the La Princesa in February 1781. He reported the island to be barren from eruptions, and called it for that reason Bitterness island.
A major eruption in 1846, starting 11 June, destroyed much of the vegetation of Vavau and spread ash around for at least a year. Some sources claim that three other neighbouring volcanoes, Late
, Tokū
and another, erupted at the same time. This is probably a mistake by passing ships who misidentified the erupting island.
The closest island to Fonualei is Toku
19.7 km to the southeast.
Vava'u
Vavau is an island chain of one large island and 40 smaller ones in Tonga. According to tradition Maui fished both Tongatapu and Vavau but put a little more effort into the former. Vavau rises 204 meters above sea level...
in the kingdom of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
.
It was seen by Don Francisco Antonio Mourelle
Francisco Antonio Mourelle
Francisco Antonio Mourelle de la Rúa was a Galician naval officer and explorer serving the Spanish crown. He was born in 1750 at San Adrián de Corme , near La Coruña, Galicia.-1775 voyage:...
on the La Princesa in February 1781. He reported the island to be barren from eruptions, and called it for that reason Bitterness island.
A major eruption in 1846, starting 11 June, destroyed much of the vegetation of Vavau and spread ash around for at least a year. Some sources claim that three other neighbouring volcanoes, Late
Late (Tonga)
Late Island is an uninhabited volcanic island southwest of Vavau in the kingdom of Tonga.The small, 6-km-wide circular island of Late, lying along the Tofua volcanic arc about 55 km WSW of the island of Vavau, contains a 400-m-wide, 150-m-deep summit crater with an ephemeral lake...
, Tokū
Toku, Tonga
Tokū is an uninhabited, volcanic island in Tonga. It is located in the very north of Vavau group in the north of the country. It is about 1000 meters long and up to 700 meters wide, yielding an area of 0.4 km². It is up to 8 meters high near its east coast....
and another, erupted at the same time. This is probably a mistake by passing ships who misidentified the erupting island.
The closest island to Fonualei is Toku
Toku, Tonga
Tokū is an uninhabited, volcanic island in Tonga. It is located in the very north of Vavau group in the north of the country. It is about 1000 meters long and up to 700 meters wide, yielding an area of 0.4 km². It is up to 8 meters high near its east coast....
19.7 km to the southeast.