After a five-day hiatus, the people of Tonga could finally make phone contacts with their families and the outside world on Thursday.
The Pacific island nation witnessed a massive volcanic eruption and tsunami that had completely cut off the people there.
The explosion of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano has killed at least three people. Besides, the tsunami waves across the Pacific knocked out communications of about 105,000 people last week.
Telephone cables between Tonga and the outside world are now again being reconnected.
Restoring full internet connectivity will take a month or more as per sources. Tonga inhabitants believe that a few villages on the Western side were very badly hit.
The government is trying to fly over islands to check over them.
According to the United Nations, about 84,000 people have been badly affected by the disaster. This is more than 80 per cent of the population there.
There has been a loss of houses, communication and another burning concern is drinking water.
For Tonga, the most pressing humanitarian needs right now are safe water, food and non-food items.
As their water sources have been polluted, water systems are down there.
Also, Tonga remains one of the few countries to be free of the new coronavirus. Vaccination there is as high as 90 per cent among Tongans.
The ships carrying 250,000 litres of water along with other supplies, will arrive on Friday.
Tonga Volcano
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted about 65 km from the Tongan capital. The blast was so loud that it could be heard away in New Zealand, sending tsunami waves across the Pacific Ocean.
Waves reaching up to 49 feet began hitting the outer Ha’apia island group.
It destroyed all the houses on the island of Mango, as well as the west coast of Tonga’s main island, Tongatapu.
The evacuation of people from these islands is underway. Moreover, the international airport is being cleaned up and the U.N. hopes it will be operational sooner.
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