Results for Tonga

Severe flooding in Nuku’alofa inundated roads this morning after overnight storms, with gale force winds and exceptional rainfall, toppled trees and brought down power lines on Tongatapu. Forecasters warned that a second line of squally weather would pass over southern Tonga tonight, bringing more rainfall. In less than 24 hours today, Saturday, 'Eua and Fua'amotu recorded more than twice their average monthly rainfall for the whole month of October.

Paula Fifita (20) was sentenced to two years imprisonment fully suspended for two counts of theft that included two motor cars, with the second offence committed while on bail for the first car theft. The judge said that the root cause of the offending was the misuse of alcohol.

A  gale warning for Tongatapu and ‘Eua  was issued by Tonga Meteorological Services this afternoon, 16 October 2024, following a heavy rain and flash flood advisory issued earlier today for southern Tonga.

The community living on the remote island of Niuafo'ou, in Tonga's far north, can now access a 24-hour power supply, through a new solar mini-grid that was commissioned by Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala on Friday, 11 October, under the Tonga Renewable Energy Project (TREP).

Tonga is expecting one to two cyclones with a moderate to high chance (>50%) of at least one severe tropical cyclone occurring, reports Tonga Met today, in its updated outlook for the 2024-2025 Tropical Cyclone Season. Based on the current modelling, the occurrence of tropical cyclones in Tonga is more likely to be from January to March with most events occurring in February.

One person died and four others sustained serious injuries in a car crash on Tuku’aho Road, at Pelehake, Tongatapu, on Saturday 12 October.

The University of the South Pacific celebrated the achievements of 145 graduates of its Tonga Campus today, 11 October, at Falemasiva Hall, in Havelu, Tongatapu.

On World Mental Health Day yesterday, Tonga launched a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) program. Ministry of Health CEO, Dr. Reynold 'Ofanoa, said this program is the beginning of a crucial journey to improve mental health and psychosocial support services in Tonga.

The benefits and challenges of the temporary labour mobility programs to Australia and New Zealand was the topic of the Speaker’s second public debate held at Parliament House in Nuku’alofa on Friday, 4 October. While Tonga welcomes the income and social benefits brought by having over 5,000 workers overseas sending money home, the exodus of its prime workforce has led to a critical shortage of labour on farms, in businesses and in government in Tonga, while at home family breakups have increased.