Following this morning's magnitude 7 earthquake, Nomuka Island in Ha'apai experienced a temporary disruption to both electricity and communications. Nomuka Town Officer, 'Elenoa Moala, told to Matangi Tonga that these services were restored within half an hour after the earthquake.
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Monday 31 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Monday 31 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
At least 3000 to 4000 people swiftly evacuated from the Nuku'alofa coastal areas to evacuation centres and inland areas in Tongatapu after the tsunami warning was issued last night, likely influenced by lessons learned from the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai event, said NDRMO Director, Mr. Mafua Maka. "Many families quickly moved inland, with some parking in safer, higher areas and staying in their vehicles."

Monday 31 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tonga Legislative Assembly resumed its 2024-2025 session this morning, but before they got down to parliamentary business, exhausted members talked about the strong 7.0 M earthquake that shook Tonga at 1:18am and kept them awake during the night. In an emergency operation, Police had helped to move people away from coastlines in Tongatapu, Vava’u and Ha’apai.

Monday 31 March 2025
Nuku'alofa,
A strong magnitude 7.0 magnitude earthquake was felt in Tonga early this morning at 1:18 am triggering a tsunami warning and evacuation alert for people in coastal areas. In the capital, civil defence sirens woke families. Some people on coastal areas evacuated inland and to higher ground where they stayed during early hours of the morning.
Friday 28 March 2025
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Forty years ago, in 1985, the people of Rongelap Atoll in the central Pacific were forced to evacuate their radioactive home after enduring years of health impacts from the US nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands. Yesterday, the community came together in Mejatto to light candles, to sing and remember the terrors of the nuclear testing in the Pacific and their displacement from their home.
Thursday 27 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) treaty is set for ratification at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting in September, it was announced at the conclusion of the Forum Economic Ministers' Meeting (FEMM) in Nuku'alofa this week, from 25-26 March.

Thursday 27 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A donation of disability equipment, including wheelchairs, was presented by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Vaiola Hospital in Tongatapu yesterday, 26 March 2025. The equipment will help to replace the wheelchairs that have gone missing from the wards at the Hospital, where they are needed for disabled patients. It is the fourth such donation the church has made to the hospital.

Thursday 27 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A truck driver was arrested at a traffic checkpoint near near the Tonga National University in Kolofo'ou, after allegedly refusing to follow Police instructions, on Friday morning, 21 March. A Police officer and the driver were involved in an altercation and both required medical attention.

Thursday 27 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Australia and Tonga have agreed to an AUD85 million (TOP125 million) budget support program over the next four years to support a stronger economy and national budget. “This is the largest investment in our partnership’s history,” stated a joint announcement yesterday, on the margins of the Special Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) in Nuku'alofa.

Wednesday 26 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Forum Secretary General, Baron Waqa called for Pacific unity against external pressures and economic challenges, at the opening of the Special Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) today, 26 March, at the Fa'onelua Convention Center in Nuku'alofa. He noted that intensifying geopolitical contest in the blue Pacific “brings promise and peril.”

Tuesday 25 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Around 26 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) medics have improved their skills for responding to the range of injuries that might be expected from a destructive weather event striking in the Pacific. The exercise was recently held in Santoft Forest near Whanganui, in New Zealand.

Tuesday 25 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An initiative to support all people with disabilities to fully participate in the democratic process in Tonga was launched last week by the Tonga Electoral Commission, who will set up a working group to consult with the disabled community on electoral issues. Tonga will hold a general election in November this year.

Tuesday 25 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Economic Ministers and officials are meeting in Nuku'alofa today, for a Special Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM). Among other things, they will discuss the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility, the first Pacific-led, member-owned and managed and people-centred climate and disaster resilience financing facility, which will be headquartered in Tonga.

Monday 24 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Mr. Franz Koenig Tu’uhetoka is the new Chief Executive Officer for the Public Service Commission, appointed by the Prime Minister for a four year term starting today, 24 March 2025.

Monday 24 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
It is essential for the Government to secure its own financial resources in order to strengthen long-term development capacity, Japan's Ambassador to Tonga, HE Inagaki Hisao, told the National Development Summit on Friday. Panelists from the diplomatic corps of New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and China in Tonga talked about Collaboration and Partnership, duringt the final session of the summit on 21 March, at the Fa’onelua Convention Center in Nuku'alofa.

Friday 21 March 2025
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
During a month of extremely high rainfall in parts of Tonga in February, the highest 24-hour rainfall was 181.9mm recorded in Ha’apai on 15 February.
Friday 21 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Finau Pomale (48) is serving a 12-month sentence for cultivating 79 cannabis plants, weighing 33.07 grams, at a bush allotment in Fatai.

Friday 21 March 2025
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
BSP Tonga | Bank of South Pacific Tonga Limited (BSP) today announced a Net Profit after Tax of T$11.6 million for the financial year ending 31 December, 2024. The results are a 20.9% decrease from FY2023, attributed to an increase in loan impairments and inflationary pressures, which in turn saw an increase in Operating Expenses.
Friday 21 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga urgently needs an illicit drugs rehabilitation centre due to the rising number of drug users, said Head Psychiatrist Dr. Mapa Puloka and counsellor Mele Prescott at the National Development Summit session on “Security and Illicit Drugs” at Fa'onelua Convention Centre. "Previous governments have been asked for this," said Dr. Puloka.

Friday 21 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Weak border security makes Tonga vulnerable to the import of illicit drugs, Acting Police Commissioner, Cmdr Filipe Fifita, told a consultation session on Security and Illicit Drugs, at the National Development Summit in Nuku'alofa this week.
