Results for outer islands

Real Tonga’s new 19-seater Jetstream 32 aircraft leased from Australia began operation last week to the outer islands of Ha’apai and Vava’u.

HM King Tupou VI opened the 91st Free Wesleyan Church Annual Conference at the Laumalie Ma'oni'oni Church in Neiafu, Vava’u on June 26.

The new month-long Tu'i Vava‘u Festival currently being held in Neiafu, Vava‘u, will feature the Miss Vava‘u Pageant from June 30 to July 5.

The pilot of a Real Tonga Queen Air that made an emergency belly-landing at the ‘Eua airstrip last week has been suspended, while an investigation into the reason for the emergency is underway.

Tropical Cyclone Kofi brought heavy rain and gusts of up to 48 knots (90kmph) to Tongatapu early this morning as the system moved to the southwest of Tonga. The Fua‘amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre has downgraded the cyclone warning this morning, while a gales warning remains in force for Tonga waters, with an extreme high tide advisory continuing for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Tonga will be the first to receive an immediate payout of US$1.27 million under the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Pilot towards the recovery in Ha'apai from Cyclone Ian, the World Bank announced on January 23.

One person died on LIfuka as Tropical Cyclone Ian Category 5 ripped through the Ha‘apai Islands yesterday afternoon, causing extensive devastation, although the full extent of the impact on the low lying islands is unknown in Tonga's first recorded Category 5 cyclone. In Lifuka most houses were flattened or damaged and people sheltered in the churches and other community buildings.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian is closing in on Vava‘u tonight with huge gusts and heavy rain sweeping the group, and much worse to come, with “phenomenal seas” and very destructive 90-125 knots gusts predicted before dawn. At midnight, Vava‘u residents said the gusts were getting much stronger. In its 12:30am advisory for Saturday January 11, Fua‘amotu TCWC stated that the Category 4 cyclone was located about 125km northwest of Hunga (VV) and 125km northwest of Longomapu (VV) or about 210km north-northwest of Lifuka at 10:00pm and moving southeast at 5 knots.

Upgraded to Category 3, Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian is intensifying and currently threatens Tonga's northern Niuafo‘ou Island where damaging gale force winds are expected this afternoon and evening. The Fua‘amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) at 1:15pm also issued a gale warning for Vavau, and a strong wind warning for Niuatoputapu.