Results for Tonga

Many people are living in evacuation centres on Tongatapu today after 119 homes were completely destroyed and 1131 partially damaged by Tropical Cyclone Gita, initial assessment reports revealed today, February 14. Damage figures are expected to rise. Reports from outer islands are still coming in.

The water supply is expected to be fully functional by this evening says Tonga Water Board (TWB) Acting CEO, Kolopeaua Tonga, after Cyclone Gita destroyed the water pump shed located at Mata-ki-‘Eua on Tongatapu.

An 18-year-old man has been charged with the murder of an 18-year-old woman who he allegedly assaulted with a machete on a road leading from Vuna Toad to ‘Umusi, yesterday February 13.

Cyclone Gita will reach Category 5 by the time it hits Tongatapu and ‘Eua this evening, the strongest in recorded history to approach Tonga, warns Director of Tonga MET, 'Ofa Fa'anunu at a press conference this morning. “Category 5 means that the winds have reached 110 knots. This is around 220 and 230 km per hour winds....We need to move now to evacuation centres.”

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gita is forecast to hit Tonga with up to Category 4 force winds from tomorrow morning, Monday February 12, according to the latest forecast from the Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre in Fiji. Tongans are handicapped in their preparations for the storm as strict sabbatical laws prevent Sunday trading for emergency supplies. At 4:30pm today the capital, Nuku'alofa remains quiet and sleepy. Tonga Met officers said this afternoon that if the cyclone speeds up from its present slow moving approach it might arrive earlier. A hurricane warning remains in place for most of Tonga. Tonga should be on high alert until the storm passes on Tuesday morning.

Coconut oil kept Tonga's Pita Taufatofua warm last night as the double Olympian ignored sub-zero temperatures, while he carried the Tongan flag bare-chested, wearing only a Tongan dance costume and flip-flops, at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Tevita Fifita (25) is named as the man arrested and charged in relation to the housebreaking and theft of more than $10,000 pa’anga at Office Equipment premises on January 6.

UNICEF is calling for urgent action to protect children from a host of risks and harms online around the world including the Pacific, as part of its Safer Internet Day message this week. Tonga is playing its part with cyber safety programmes being delivered in the kingdom in partnership with UNICEF, who reports that that one in three internet users worldwide is a child.

A five-year Quick Rip rugby health program was launched on February 6 in Nuku’alofa with ambassadors Former All Black Pita ‘Alatini and Black Fern Charlene Gubb taking the game across Tongatapu.