‘Wrong thing to do’: Authorities warn Australians to avoid the beach as tsunami threat looms

People in one Australian state have been warned to continue avoiding the beach even as several other states said the coast was clear.

NSW residents have been warned to avoid the beach on Sunday as officials worry over the possible threat of a tsunami wave.

However officials have cancelled the tsunami warning that was previously in place for other east coast states following a volcano eruption in Tonga.

In an update at 1pm, the Bureau of Meteorology said the tsunami warning was cancelled for Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and Macquarie Island.

“The marine threat tsunami warning for New South Wales – as well as Lord Howe and Norfolk islands - remains current for dangerous waves, rips and strong ocean current in the marine environment,” the statement said.

“While the tsunami warning has been cancelled for Queensland, a separate hazardous surf warning is still in effect for dangerous swells due to Ex-Tropical Cyclone Cody.

“Some unusual sea level changes from the tsunami may persist for many hours along the Queensland, Tasmanian and Victorian coasts.”

People in NSW were told to be wary of tsunami waves, which can be more powerful than beach waves of the same size.

“There will be many waves and the first wave may not be the largest,” the BOM said.

The NSW State Emergency Service told people to not go swimming or drive down to the beach to have a look.

“I know a lot of people will be disappointed and it's going to be a very humid day, and the Australian way is to get down to the beach,” an SES official told reporters on Sunday morning.

We are continuing to monitor the #tsunami event after a volcanic eruption near #Tonga. Land threat warning still current for Lord Howe & Norfolk Is, marine threat warning still current for parts of Qld, NSW, Vic & Tas. Will be in place for several hours. https://t.co/4vdBUsHiKfpic.twitter.com/wOxBaMZK4y

— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) January 15, 2022

“But to protect this community, the beaches are closed and surf lifesaving have removed the flags, and we're making sure that people don’t go into the water.”

The official said a rock fisherman had to be rescued earlier in the day.

Beaches were expected to stay closed at least until about 4pm.

“In past tsunami warnings we’ve had people who get into their vehicles and go down to the beach — that’s exactly the wrong thing to do,” the SES official said.

“We need to have the roads as clear as possible … once that wave comes, if it does come, it’s very vital and very urgent to get people away from those areas.”

An eruption at Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai has caused a tsunami, with an evacuation warning in place in Tonga. Picture: Japan Meteorological Agency

The warning comes after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai volcano erupted off Tonga on Saturday afternoon.

Victorian authorities previously issued a marine warning for the state’s east.

Victoria’s State Emergency Service said a tsunami watch had been issued for Lakes Entrance, east of Gabo Island including Mallacoota.

However by midday the tsunami threat had reduced and the warning was cancelled.

In Queensland there were previously warnings for a huge stretch from Sandy Cape to Point Danger including the Fraser Island coast, Sunshine Coast waters, Moreton Bay and Gold Coast waters.

Australia typically experiences a tsunami about every year or two.

The most recent tsunami warning before this weekend was issued in March last year for Norfolk Island.

The largest documented tsunami to affect Australia happened in July 2006, when a campsite at Steep Point, WA was flooded, the BOM said.

Nobody was injured in that event.