Aid efforts reach Tonga - 26th January 2022

Disaster relief is finally heading to the Pacific islands of Tonga, isolated from the world since two major natural disasters overwhelmed the country on 15th January.

The seismic blast from submarine volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai generated shock waves audible across the globe in Alaska and a tsunami which inundated shorelines around the Pacific Rim, from Japan to the United States. The eruption's mushrooming plume, clearly visible from space, rose 30 kilometres into the atmosphere and deposited acid rain, gas and ash across the Pacific area.

New Zealand's Tongan diaspora rallied around in a relief effort for the nation's various islands after the twin disasters of volcanic eruption and tsunami.

Among them is Jenny Sales, a New Zealand MP of Tongan heritage.

Jenny Sales: "There are just over 70 thousand Tongans here in New Zealand. And we know that about 80 percent of Tonga is affected by this. This natural disaster is different to cyclones in the past, right, which has only affected parts of Tonga, or Ha'apai, or Vavaʻu or Ongo Niua. This one, twin disasters, has affected the majority of, of Tonga and so it is a huge concern for us."

Packed tightly into drums, provisions included supplies of fresh water, as local sources may have suffered contamination from the falling volcanic ash. Tonga will require ongoing disaster relief as the nation slowly rebuilds.

Fatafehi Fakafanua, Speaker of the Tongan Legislative Assembly, is in New Zealand.

Fatafehi Fakafanua: "It's good to see such an early response. But I think what's important is the ongoing response because it won't end here. One week, two weeks from now, I think, I'm sure in two months, we'll still need support. So, it's gonna be a long road to recovery and we hope that we'll continue to sustain this."

Since the blast ruptured underwater internet and telephone cables, establishing a true picture of the scale of the disasters on the islands, and present needs, remains a challenge. Regardless of these assessments, many Tongans see only one future, to rebuild and recover their lives on these islands.