Tonga police have told the New Zealand High Commission that the confirmed death toll stands at two, but with communications in the South Pacific island nation cut, the true extent of casualties was not clear.
In this photo provided by the New Zealand defence force, a crew member from an Orion aircraft inspects an area of Tonga with heavy ash fall from the volcanic eruption.Tonga’s main airport, Fua’amotu International Airport, was not damaged in Saturday’s eruption and tsunami but heavy ash fall is preventing full operations, hampering international relief efforts.
The Tongan navy reported major damage in the Ha’apai islands, which were hit by waves estimated to be five to 10 metres high, said the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs .Surveillance images taken by the New Zealand defence force and circulated on social media in Tonga showed “catastrophic damage” to the outlying island of Atata.
The eruption sent tsunami waves across the Pacific Ocean and was heard about 2300 kilometres away in New Zealand. “We don’t want to bring in another wave – a tsunami of COVID-19,” Mr Tu’ihalangingie said, urging the public to wait for a disaster relief fund to donate.
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