Frightened Tongans fled to higher ground yesterday after a massive volcanic eruption -- heard in neighbouring countries -- triggered tsunami warnings across the South Pacific. "A 1.2 metre tsunami wave has been observed at Nuku'alofa," Australia's Bureau of Meteorology tweeted. The latest eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano came just a few hours after a separate Friday tsunami warning was lifted due to the eruption. The eruption was so intense it was heard as "loud thunder sounds" in Fiji more than 800 kilometres (500 miles) away, officials in Suva said.