Australians and officials living in Tonga have all been found following the tsunami that hit the country after an underwater volcanic eruption nearby.

But Pacific Minister Zed Seselja said the situation was unfolding rapidly and communications had been significantly affected.

“We have no particular concerns about Australians at this stage…this is subject to communication difficulties,” Mr Seseja told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.

He said Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke with his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern on Sunday to put together a coordinated response.

He said the two countries were sending surveillance planes to help gather as much information as possible about the situation.

Australia will endeavor to send its aircraft on Monday to reach Tonga’s airspace by 9 a.m.

“This is subject to weather conditions, in particular ash cloud issues. There is no guarantee that we will take off tomorrow morning,” the minister said.

Australia is also preparing for humanitarian aid with a flight from Brisbane expected to be ready to depart on Monday, but again subject to flight conditions and the ability to get to the ground.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted at 3:10 p.m. AEDT on Saturday and tsunami waves were observed following the eruption.

The office said a tsunami wave height of 1.27 meters was observed on Norfolk Island at 9 p.m. AEDT and a wave of 82 cm was recorded on the Gold Coast at 10:54 p.m. AED on Saturday. .

Waves up to 1.10m high were recorded at Ned’s Beach on Lord Howe Island around 11pm AEDT and a 50cm surge was observed at Hobart’s Derwent Park around 11.44pm AEDT.

Port Kembla in Wollongong in New South Wales recorded a 65cm wave at 2:50 a.m. AEDT on Sunday.

Pacific countries were also on alert, with people in parts of Japan told to evacuate after waves of more than a meter.

The bureau had previously detected a 1.19m wave in Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga.

Land warnings were issued earlier for Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island, but at 10.30am on Sunday they were downgraded and replaced by marine warnings.

“In areas where the marine environment is threatened only, emergency authorities are advising people to get out of the water and away from the immediate edge of harbours, coastal estuaries, rock platforms and beaches. “, the office said in a statement.

Marine warnings remain for both islands and coastal areas of NSW.

Tsunami warnings for Macquarie Island and coastal areas of Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania were canceled on Sunday morning.

Australian Associated Press