An interesting and approachable scientific paper. 

The remote Pacific islands nation of Tonga (about 170 is- lands, with a population of 105 000), and surrounding countries, are suffering from the damage from one of the largest, most ex- plosive volcanic eruptions in at least several decades, at least since the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo in the Philippines. The data is still coming in from the Jan. 15, 2022 eruption. Initial reports show (remarkably) few casualties, but the islands are still (as of this writing) inaccessible because of thick volcanic ash cover- ings, loss of communication networks, and damage to the main airport. Initial reports are optimistic, but the observations and data are sparse. Tonga needs help, immediately. - Journal of Earth Science

A decade ago, NPR photographer David Gilkey documented the aftermath of the destruction caused by the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami. The earthquake triggered an explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant that ravaged the region.  In an attempt to capture what happened, Gilkey said, "It's really hard to put any of this into a perspective that someone would understand at home. This town today was literally just ... gone." He was referring to the devastation in Rikuzentakata in the Iwate Prefecture.  On the 10th anniversary of this catastrophe, we look back at Gilkey's photos. - NPR