Brand new pacific island off Tonga already 'disappearing' into the sea

The unnamed island only started forming in January, but scientists say it is in danger of 'disappearing' due to rain erosion

The two islands prior to the volcano's eruption (Rex)

It's barely three months old - but the tiny island that formed in the Pacific when an underwater volcano erupted off Tonga is already starting to 'disappear'.

The unnamed island, located about 65 kilometres off Tongatapu, Tonga's main island, started to form in January after the ash of an underwater volcano eruption started to accumulate.

Scientists at the time who predicted that the island would quickly start to disappear seem to have been proved right, as locals report that the fragile island's surface is showing signs of erosion.

The Daily Telegraph reported that a Tongan shipping firm sent geologists to the island last week.

A new island has been formed (Rex images)

Mosese Fakatou, manager of the Friendly Island Shipping Agency, told The Telegraph that the geologists report that the island is being eroded.

"The geologists think it is getting smaller.

"It looks like streaks of erosion probably from rain in the past few weeks. We could see the marks on the island."

Photos of the island first started appearing in March after a local hotel owner, his friend and his son went ashore and posted a series of stunning photographs on Facebook.

Post by Gp Tonga.

The island would not be the first in the region to 'disappear'into the sea. Last year the tiny Tongan island of Monuafe eroded and receded into the sea. It now only reemerges briefly at low tide.

Illegal sand mining and cyclones were thought to be the cause of Monuafe's 'disappearance', but local news outlet Matangi Tonga has suggested that rising sea levels are to blame for the coastal erosion of islands in the region.