A $460,000 pa’anga grant to the Government of Tonga was approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday, 1 May and will go towards restoring life-sustaining services following the damage from Tropical Cyclone Harold.

The category 4 cyclone affected Tonga’s east and southeast on 9 April with sustained winds of more than 150 kilometres per hour, as well as strong tides and extensive flooding affecting Tongatapu and ‘Eua.

ADB Director General for the Pacific Leah Gutierrez said Tropical Cyclone Harold destroyed livelihoods and vital infrastructure in Tonga and other Pacific countries.

“This grant will assist early recovery and relief efforts, and ADB stands ready to help support Tonga build back better in the wake of the cyclone.”

National assessments estimate almost 8,000 people or 1,400 households on Tongatapu and ‘Eua, were severely impacted by TC Harold and are in need of urgent help.

The cyclone devastated homes and businesses along Tonga’s coastal areas as well as public infrastructure, wharves, coastal roads, and power supplies.

The impact on food security and livelihoods has also been significant as a result of damage to household food stores, root crops, and fruit trees.

This is the third grant provided by the ADB to the Pacific to help the region recover from the effects of TC Harold, with $400,000 provided to Fiji and $1 million to Vanuatu in late April.