The first foreign emergency aid has arrived in Tonga, five days after the Pacific island nation was hit by a volcanic eruption and tsunami. Previously, this was not possible, as the main airport was covered in ash due to the volcanic eruption. Locals have been working hard in recent days to clear the runways.
Australia and New Zealand have sent two military transport aircraft with essential supplies such as water and communications equipment. The volcano’s ash and salt water from the tsunami caused by the eruption have polluted drinking water sources. Since last weekend’s disaster, news from Tonga has been limited as submarine communications cables were damaged. Telecommunication company Digicel, however, reported on Wednesday that telephone calls can be made with Tonga again.
Emergency supplies
Both Australia and New Zealand are also sending ships expected to arrive on Friday. They transport water supplies and a desalination plant that can purify 70,000 liters of water per day. There are also divers on board who will investigate shipping routes. China and the United States have also promised to send emergency supplies.
The volcanic eruption was so violent that it was measurable everywhere on Earth by difference in air pressure. More than 80 percent of the archipelago’s 100,000 residents have been affected by the disaster, the United Nations said on Wednesday. The official death toll after the natural disaster stands at five. Three people were killed by the volcanic eruption and two by the ensuing tsunami. The death toll could still rise.
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