Tonga confirmed on Tuesday its first death from the eruption of an underwater volcano on Saturday, one of the most violent in the last 30 years in the world and which was followed by a tsunami, amid difficulties in assessing the damage in that remote island nation in the South Pacific.
Tonga’s high commissioner in Canberra, Curtis Tu’ihalangingie, told the Australian public broadcaster ABC that “unfortunately” the authorities of the Pacific nation have received information of the death of a person, noting that “there are possibilities that register more”.
The diplomat pointed out that the Australian and New Zealand planes, as well as the Tongan Navy, are trying to assess the damage caused by the eruption of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai in the 169-island archipelago, while the emergency services are engaged in emergency tasks. .
The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported the day before in a statement that there is “significant” damage, as well as minor injuries and two missing persons, in addition to extensive damage to homes and beach resorts in Tongatapu.
The OCHA also highlighted that there is still no contact with the inhabitants of the Ha’pai archipelago, specifying that the concerns are mainly focused on Mango and Fonoi, two islands that are at sea level.
With the nation covered in volcanic ash, according to aerial images, the task of assessing the damage is made difficult because “communications are poor” since only local or international satellite calls can be made.
It is expected that soon there will be a panorama of the devastation, as well as the humanitarian aid needs for this island country that only has one confirmed case of covid-19, for which the protocols will also have to be strictly followed to avoid a “covid tsunami,” Tu’ihalangingie noted.
The New Zealand High Commission in Tonga said in a statement Monday that there are reports of “significant damage” on the west coast of Tongatapu, the country’s main island, including the coastal area with hotels in the capital, Nuku’alofa.
The Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai, located 65 kilometers north of the Tongan capital, released steam and ash regarding 20 kilometers high on Saturday and created a tsunami, which damaged the submarine cable that carries the internet connection from Fiji. .
The thunderous eruption of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai, an underwater volcano with a long history of activity and located between two islets – which are sometimes joined by lava and ash accumulated between them – might be heard hundreds of kilometers away.
While the Red Cross estimates that some 80,000 of the 105,000 inhabitants have been affected by these natural disasters, experts do not rule out other incidents of volcanic activity.
.
