A grant of $460,000 pa'anga from the Asian Development Bank will fund immediate water sanitation and hygiene needs in Tonga, to areas affected by storm surge, among other recovery efforts after Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold in April.

The Ministry of Finance secured the grant to help implement the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) TC Harold Response Plan, rolled out by Government April 20.

Finance, Revenue and Customs Minister Hon Tevita Lavemaau signed the ADB Grant Agreement on May 12, approved by ADB's Asia-Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF).

He said this will fund immediate water sanitation and hygiene needs at storm surge affected areas, maintenance costs of severely damaged public infrastructures, including Ha’apai causeway and the ‘Eua wharf damaged by the cyclone to be accessible until fully restored.

In addition, the cash grants are provided with flexible procurement requirements to use our own to better respond to the more frequent and intense cyclones affecting Tonga.  

The Government of Tonga acknowledges the responsiveness of ADB's APDRF in providing prompt response to help Government’s depleting emergency resources, he said.