In Tonga, a volcano-triggered tsunami underscores islands' acute climate risk

A view of a beach and debris following volcanic eruption and tsunami, in Nuku'alofa, Tonga January 18, 2022 in this picture obtained from social media on January 19, 2022. Courtesy of Marian Kupu/Broadcom Broadcasting FM87.5/via REUTERS

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - For the South Pacific island nation of Tonga, the tsunami unleashed by Saturday's volcanic eruption laid bare some of the ways that climate change is threatening the islands' very existence.

By increasing temperatures and driving up sea levels, climate change will likely worsen disasters wrought by tsunamis, storm surges, and heat waves, experts say.