All Tongans are appreciative of an outpouring of support received from the Australian community, including Tongan diaspora, and government, in response to the double catastrophe of the Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami on Jan. 15, says HRH Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tuku'aho, the Tonga High Commissioner, in Canberra.

“The community has rallied together in an effort to raise much needed financial support and to collect donations of essentials,” she said yesterday.

The Princess said the natural disaster that struck Tonga one month ago was unprecedented and, “it will take years to recover.”

Donations are being coordinated in each Australian state by the Pili-e-Tauhala Recovery Committees, formed by the Princess. Australian companies had made donations of medical supplies, clothing and facilitated shipping.

The Tongan community in Australia, numbers more than 40,000, she said. While communications with and within Tonga continued to be significantly impacted as a result of the disaster, the restoration of basic mobile connectivity for voice calls and texts and some data had helped the diaspora to communicate with family and friends in Tonga.

Humanitarian assistance

Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Marise Payne had committed AUD 3 million in humanitarian assistance.

The Princess said that Australia's Department of Defence Operation TONGA ASSIST 22 had closely coordinated its response with the High Commission and partners, including France and New Zealand (under the FRANZ agreement), Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom.

“A coordination hub has been established at Defence’s HQ Joint Operations Command, where liaison officers are embedded from His Majesty’s Armed Forces of Tonga, Fiji, NZ, Japan, France and the UK, and with virtual participation from the United States. Australia is supporting offers of assistance from other members of the Pacific family through logistics and coordination where possible, for example, a contingent from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces left Australia on 9 February for Tonga to assist with the recovery efforts.”

The Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) had conducted eight aerial surveillance flights to assess initial damage across Tonga and more may follow at the request of the Government of Tonga, she said.

Within a month of the disaster, 15 RAAF humanitarian assistance flights had landed in Tonga delivering over 130 tonnes of essential supplies and equipment.

“In total, HMAS Adelaide and Australian assistance flights have delivered more than 210 tonnes of essential supplies and equipment to date.”

“Tonga’s two Guardian-class Patrol Boats and a landing craft - all Australian gifted - were undamaged and have been used regularly by Tonga since the eruption to check on impacted communities, distribute essential supplies and evacuate people.”

Australia’s pre-positioned stores with the Tonga Red Cross had been delivered to impacted communities.

“The High Commission is very grateful to the Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia Defence, the community and all these groups for their generous assistance to Tonga in its time of need,” the Princess said.