Tropical Cyclone Tino has caused storm surge damage to homes, mainly in Ha’apai and Niuatoputapu, said Tonga's National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) Director, Paula Ma’u today, 20 January.

TC Tino affected some roads, and brought down power lines as well as vegetation, including breadfruit and kava on Ha’apai, Vava’u and the Niuas, according to initial surveys started after the cyclone passed over Tonga between the Ha'apai and Tongatapu Groups at the weekend.

“However, I am thankful there were no casualties,” Paula said. “The eye of the storm went through Nomuka, but everyone on the island moved to the evacuation centre and I believe this is why no lives were lost.”

After the cyclone had passed, he said Nomuka residents returned to find their homes still standing even though some were flooded.

Some of the homes located in coastal areas of Pangai, Ha'apai, that were flooded from previous storms will be relocated to higher ground, said Paula.

Power has been restored to Ha’apai, Vava’u and the Niuas but homes that were damaged by the storm surge are still being assessed before the power can be restored, he said.

Inter-island and domestic communications were not affected by the cyclone.

Paula said NEMO was still assessing the damage and a health team would look at spraying the affected areas to minimize water borne diseases.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister, Hon Pohiva Tu'ionetoa was reported to be in Ha'apai looking at the damage.

Rainfall

During TC Tino, the highest amount of rainfall was recorded in Ha’apai and Niuatoputapu over a 24-hour period from 1:00pm Saturday, 18 January, to 1:00pm Sunday, 19 January.

Tonga MET Chief Meteorologist Laitia Fifita said Ha’apai’s Salote Pilolevu Airport recorded the highest rainfall of 161.8mm, followed by 77.9mm at Niuatoputapu.

Vava’u recorded 27.5mm of rainfall, followed by 21mm at Fua’amotu (Tongatapu), and 18.3mm at Niuafo‘ou.

Cyclone Track

The 50km wide cyclone passed over the southern most group of islands in Ha’apai, including Nomuka, Fonoi, and Mango, located beween Ha’apai and Tongatapu.

Laitia said the cyclone eye passed over Nomuka at about 7:10pm on Saturday, around 13km North Northwest of Nomuka.

At this time, the lowest pressure ever recorded on the island was 966.8 millibars at 7:10pm.

The strongest wind speed during the cyclone was recorded at Salote Pilolevu Airport in Ha‘apai at 71-73 knots between 7-9pm on Saturday.

Early cyclone warning alerts had TC Tino tracking through Tongatapu. According to Laitia, it was moving east southeast because of an easterly movement causing it to maintain this direction for about six hours after leaving Vanua Balavu, Fiji.

However, it then moved south east, with no influence from the easterly movement, causing it to track between Tongatapu and Ha’apai.

- Eleanor Gee.