Results for Tonga

Oxfam New Zealand has sent an emergency response team to Tonga on January 14 and is gearing up its aid efforts following reports of complete destruction left by Cyclone Ian to the northern islands of Ha‘apai.

The Christian World Service, the aid and development agency of New Zealand churches, has launched an appeal to support the women of Ha‘apai and Vava‘u organising clean-up operations in Tonga after the destructive Cyclone Ian on January 11.

Tonga Power Ltd. estimates that it will cost at least $3 million pa'anga to rebuild the entire power distribution network in the Ha’apai islands after Cyclone Ian destroyed over 90 percent of the power lines and poles when it hit on Saturday, January 11.

Matangi Tonga Online photographer Pesi Fonua travelled to Ha‘apai on January 13, visiting the villages of Koulo and Holopeka on LIfuka, and the main town of Pangai following the devastation of the areas by Tropical Cyclone Ian on January 11, 2014.

Dr ‘Aisake Valu Eke has been appointed as Tonga’s new Minister of Finance and National Planning effective from Friday, 10 January 2014.

Digicel Tonga’s mobile communication network in Pangai, Ha’apai has been restored at 10:0am this morning January 13 since it went down on the afternoon of Saturday January 11 when Tropical Cyclone Ian (Cat 5) hit the Lifuka Island. “I have not seen such devastating damages from a cyclone,” said Tupou ‘Ahome‘e Faupula, who went to Ha‘apai with the Digicel crew.

An RNZAF Orion has completed an aerial survey of the Ha‘apai Islands this afternoon to assist the Tonga Government assess the damage after Category 5 Cyclone Ian ripped into the low-lying central group of Tonga yesterday afternoon. Photos courtesy RNZAF.

No deaths, injuries, missing persons or missing vessels were reported in Tonga by this afternoon as Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian, now category 4, with its centre packing punches from 194-268km/hr gusts, weaved its way between the Vava‘u and Ha‘apai groups today, passing close to the exposed small outlying island communities of Mo‘unga‘one and Muitoa, whose fate remains unknown. However, the powerful cyclone that intensified to category 5 last night has surprised storm-watchers by letting Vava‘u off lightly without the expected destruction.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian is closing in on Vava‘u tonight with huge gusts and heavy rain sweeping the group, and much worse to come, with “phenomenal seas” and very destructive 90-125 knots gusts predicted before dawn. At midnight, Vava‘u residents said the gusts were getting much stronger. In its 12:30am advisory for Saturday January 11, Fua‘amotu TCWC stated that the Category 4 cyclone was located about 125km northwest of Hunga (VV) and 125km northwest of Longomapu (VV) or about 210km north-northwest of Lifuka at 10:00pm and moving southeast at 5 knots.