A woman dubbed the “dog lady” is missing after being swept away by a tsunami in Tonga last weekend.
The tsunami was caused by the eruption of the underwater volcano called Hunga Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai.
According to Newsweek, the 50-year-old British woman was named Angela Glover. She and her husband ran the Tongan Animal Welfare Society (TAWS), which is an animal welfare organization that provides dogs on the island with veterinary care.
When she and her husband returned to rescue her dogs from the incoming tsunami, Glover was reportedly swept away by the waves that flooded streets and devastated homes.
Glover and her husband had moved from London to Tonga in 2016. Five years later, she spoke to Yahoo News about why she decided to leave her home in London to move to the island.
“I am a huge animal lover and always wanted to rescue animals from an early age,” she explained at the time. “Over the first two years here people got to know my love of dogs and helping any way we could, and word spread. I became ‘the dog lady’!”
Glover Comments On ‘Eerie Silence’ Before Tornado Hit
Just before the tsunami struck, Glover took to social media to comment on the “eerie silence” that had descended on the community shortly before the tsunami hit.
“I’m not kidding you…. this is the sunset today after the volcano exploded last night. We’ve been under tsunami warnings today…” she wrote.
“everything’s fine… a few swells ….a few eerie silences…a wind or two…then silence…sudden stillness… electric storms…. everything looked like I was watching thru an Instagram filter,” she continued. She added #epic, #volcano, and #tsunami to the end of her post.
On Saturday, a four-foot tsunami hit Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu. As she and her husband were trying to head to higher ground, she and “four or five” dogs were swept away in the wave.
Her husband, James, survived the waves by holding on to a tree. Her brother, Nick Eleini, still is holding on to hope that his sister will be found.
“One of the dogs has been found, but Angela hasn’t been found,” he said. “It’s excruciating. I can’t even believe the words are coming out of my mouth, to be honest.”
South Pacific Animal Welfare Pays Tribute To Glover
The South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW) group, a volunteer-run veterinary service, reacted to the “devastating news” in a Facebook post.
“Our hearts are broken with the devastating news that our wonderful friend and colleague Angela Glover has gone missing during the tsunami in Tonga,” they wrote.
“We are still waiting for news and we are hoping, like everyone, that she is found safe and well soon,” they added.
“Angela is the co-founder of the Tonga Animal Welfare Society and a passionate advocate for animals,” they continued. “She and James are part of our whanau [extended family], and together they have worked with our clinic teams for many years.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Angela, James, their whanau, and friends at this incredibly sad time,” they concluded.
Underwater Volcano Creates Tsunami Advisory On The West Coast
Tsunami Advisories remain in effect for Alaska, Hawaii, and the West Coast. For the latest information, see https://t.co/QoZe9fEjyD pic.twitter.com/SXJ8pvxY7o
— National Weather Service (@NWS) January 15, 2022
On Saturday morning, the states of Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington were all under a tsunami advisory. According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning center, no damaged was reported in the state of Hawaii and the tsunami advisory ended only a few hours after the alert was issued.
The National Tsunami Warning Center confirmed reports that 1.2-foot waves were recorded in Nikolski, Alaska. One-foot waves were also reported in Atka, Adak, and King Cove, Alaska.
As The Blast previously reported, a four-foot tsunami struck Tonga’s largest island of Tongatapu. The tsunami was caused by a volcano erupting in the South Pacific, which sent an ash cloud and gas steam into the air over 12.4 miles into the air. The Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcano first erupted on Friday, and then later again on Saturday.
Waves flooded the capital of Tonga’s capital of Nuku’alofa, flooding houses and blocking roadways. Tonga’s King Tupou VI was evacuated from the Royal Palace after waves began to flood the city. Troops rushed the king to a villa at Mata Ki Eua.
Local reporter for Fiji One, Jese Tuisinu, tweeted a video showing people trying to escape the tsunami following the volcanic eruption.
Tsunami videos out of Tonga 🇹🇴 this afternoon following the Volcano Eruption. pic.twitter.com/JTIcEdbpGe
— Jese Tuisinu (@JTuisinu) January 15, 2022
