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The United Nations assured that the entity’s priority is to guarantee the supply of water and food to the country. The archipelago began to receive humanitarian aid, especially from New Zealand and Australia. China also reported that it will send aid as soon as the airport is reopened.
This January 19, the United Nations reported that some 84,000 people, which represents more than 80% of the population of Tonga, have been affected by the volcanic eruption and the subsequent tsunamis that followed the natural explosion.
It was the entity’s spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, who indicated the data, during his daily press conference. The official assured that the UN has determined as a priority to guarantee the supply of water and food to citizens, as well as the implementation of communications.
Tonga recorded at least three deaths after last Saturday’s volcanic eruption. The images show areas devastated and covered with ash. The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted and created several tsunamis in the Pacific. Waves of up to 15 meters massively destroyed the infrastructure of several islands. There are no houses left in Mango and Atata and only two in Fonoifua resisted. On the main island, Tongatapu, 56 houses were badly damaged.
The inhabitants of several islands will be evacuated to other less affected islands.
“We are aware that there is significant damage to the outer islands. Two of those islands, Mango and Fonoifua, will be evacuated,” New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said. The archipelago has 176 islands, 36 of them inhabited by a total of 105,000 inhabitants.
According to the Red Cross, the ashes contaminated drinking water sources and indicated that the health risk is growing: “Guaranteeing access to drinking water is a critical and immediate priority (…) as there is a growing risk of diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea,” said Katie Greenwood of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
arrival of international aid
Tonga has agreed to receive international aid and will enforce strict arrival protocols in the archipelago. The country is one of the only ones in the world that has not yet been affected by the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has registered a single case of Covid-19 and has managed to vaccinate 60% of its population with the full schedule.
New Zealand sent two ships carrying water and other supplies and Australia could send planes as early as Thursday carrying supplies and telecommunications equipment.
Tonga is working to clear the runway of the airport on the country’s main island, which is covered in ash. China announced that it would send aid, including water and food, when the airport opened. Australia and New Zealand have also pledged immediate financial aid.
For its part, Japan will participate with more than a million dollars in aid, as well as the arrival of drinking water and equipment to clean the ash.
Communications abroad, cut off for at least 4 weeks
Tonga will spend at least four more weeks almost without communication with the outside world after the huge volcanic eruption, which broke the only submarine cable that guarantees communications to the archipelago.
Communications with the outside were suspended after the tsunamis caused by the eruption, which damaged the fiber optic communication cable. According to the New Zealand authorities, “the cable company SubCom has advised that it will take at least four weeks to repair the connection in Tonga.”
A provisional mobile telephone system with a 2G connection has been established, although with a “limited and irregular” capacity. Part of the electrical system has been restored and the authorities are working to recover the telephone lines.
With EFE and Reuters
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