Public returns to a bare Nuku'alofa [1]
Tuesday, January 30, 2007 - 15:26. Updated on Saturday, May 10, 2014 - 18:40.
Photos by Linny Folau
The public has this week been moving through the ghost town of central Nuku'alofa after most of the restrictions on the flow of traffic into the CBD were lifted on Monday January 22.
After feeling the shock of the empty spaces, there is little to keep people in town, except for a few pockets of shops that are starting to reopen, while a couple of cafes that had carried on business in the restricted zone mainly serving the police and military, are now serving the public again.
Parts of some roads where partly-damaged buildings arre still standing, however, remain closed to traffic. Hala Fatafehi between the Royco Building and Hala Uelingatoni, and along Hala Taufa'ahau, between the Look Sharp Store and Hala Laifone the orange cordons remain. It is still not possible to drive the full length of Hala Taufa'ahau.
It will be a long time before the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga, regains its vigour.