More ships and aircraft carrying aid are due to arrive in Tonga in coming days as the international community responds to calls for urgent assistance from the Pacific island nation following the devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami.
The first flights from Australia and New Zealand landed in Tonga on Thursday with much-needed supplies of water for sanitation and hygiene as well as shelter, communication equipment and power generators.
The deliveries were dropped off without the military personnel coming into contact with people to ensure there was no coronavirus transmission.
Two Japanese aircraft carrying aid supplies left Komaki Air Base in Aichi Prefecture for Tonga on Thursday and were expected to arrive on Friday.
A New Zealand maritime sustainment vessel, HMNZS Aotearoa, carrying 250,000 litres of water and able to produce 70,000 litres per day through a desalination plant, was expected to arrive in Tonga.
A second Australian aid flight had to turn back on Thursday due to in-flight issues and was also expected today, the Australian High Commission in Tonga said on Facebook.
More help is on the way with HMAS Adelaide en route from Brisbane and due in Tonga next week, it said.
Concerns about access to safe water
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted with a deafening explosion on Saturday, triggering tsunamis that destroyed villages, resorts and many buildings and knocked out communications for the nation of about 105,000 people.
The authorities have confirmed three people were killed.
Ash has blanketed the archipelago and spoiled much of its drinking water.
United Nations spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a briefing that Tonga had asked for urgent assistance and the agency was in close contact with the authorities.
"Assessment teams have reached most parts of the country, including remote and isolated islands," Mr Dujarric said.
"We remain seriously concerned about access to safe water for 50,000 people throughout the country.
"Water quality testing continues, and most people are relying on bottled water."
Some 60,000 people have been affected by damage to crops, livestock, and fisheries due to ashfall, saltwater intrusion and the potential for acid rain, Mr Dujarric said.
There are also reports of fuel shortages, he added.
More help needed after initial donations
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said cash donations to Tonga for immediate humanitarian supplies would need to be followed with more substantial support for rebuilding.
Australia has so far donated $1 million.
"The impact of this volcanic eruption and the subsequent tsunami and the damage the inundation is causing will be an ongoing challenge for Tonga, particularly in relation to infrastructure," she said, adding that New Zealand and Fiji were also working closely with Tonga.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the Red Cross Society of China had donated $US100,000 ($139,000) to Tonga and delivered "some emergency supplies including drinking water and food" on Wednesday.
"Going forward, China will continue to provide assistance in cash and supplies based on the situation and Tonga’s needs and strive to overcome unfavourable meteorological conditions such as the volcanic ash to deliver the supplies as soon as possible," Mr Zhao said.
Other nations have made substantial donations including New Zealand and Japan, which offered more than $1 million.
'My wife was at the beach when the explosion went off'
Telephone links between Tonga and the outside world were reconnected late on Wednesday, although restoring full internet services is likely to take weeks.
Tonga Rugby Union chief executive Peter Harding, who has been stranded in Australia during the pandemic, managed to contact his wife to learn about the ordeal she and her son had experienced when the volcano erupted.
"My wife was at the beach when the explosion went off, so she obviously raced and got into the car and got the dogs in the car and got home as quick as possible," he told ABC Pacific Beat.
"Our son was in the car and he was pretty terrified, as you could probably imagine.
"He was showing me what was going on in the sky … it was apocalyptic, to be honest with you."
Since then, Mr Harding said he had been trying to reach his wife again but without success, and he is critical of the cost of calling from Australia.
Despite the internet connection issues, Tongans have still managed to access social media to post images of the destruction by the tsunami and give accounts of their shock after the massive explosion.
ABC/Reuters
