Cyclone Gita evacuees currently staying in an evacuation centre at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Ha’ateiho, said today that listening to the cyclone warnings helped them decide to move to the evacuation centre before the massive storm hit Tongatapu.
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Results for Tonga
Friday 16 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Friday 16 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fisherman, Latu Kamisese (60s) who lost his house at Patangata during Tropical Cyclone Gita is appealing for food donations to help sustain his family for now until he can get back to making his living from the sea.
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Friday 16 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Widow, 'Oto’ota Tapa’atoutai of Patangata is thankful to be alive with her family, and despite the cruel reality that Tropical Cyclone Gita demolished her small house on Monday February 12, she talked with a smile today as her family picked up the pieces of their life in one of the most vulnerable areas of Nuku'alofa.
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Friday 16 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
All nightclubs and bars in Tongatapu will be shut down today, February 16 for a week to ensure the safety of people, under powers given to Police in Tonga's current State of Emergency.
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Friday 16 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A male security guard at Nauti Ruby's Bar on the Faua Wharf at Ma'ufanga, was today charged with the murder of a man in his early 20s, whom he allegedly beat up with a baseball bat on Friday night, February 9.
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Thursday 15 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
King Tupou VI urged Tongans to work with a cooperative spirit to rebuild their country after Cyclone Gita, in an address to the nation this evening, particularly mentioning the people of the worst-hit islands of Tongatapu and 'Eua. The first assistance to any hardship that happens in our country should come from us, he said.
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Thursday 15 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Minister for Health, Hon Saia Piukala said today that all main roads on Tongatapu have been cleared of debris and were accessible today. He called on people with leaking taps to fix them quickly to preserve the water supply on Tongatapu. He also warned of water-borne diseases such as diarrhea spreading after the cyclone.
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Thursday 15 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
One man who sustained severe injury due to flying debris is currently at the hospital in ‘Eua, after Tropical Cyclone Gita affected 264 families and completely destroyed 52 houses on the outer island.
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Thursday 15 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Essential ferry services to the outer islands have resumed today after Tropical Cyclone Gita caused severe damage in Tongatapu. A scheduled cruise ship visit to Nuku'alofa tomorrow was cancelled.
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Thursday 15 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two teenagers were arrested with boxes of goods stolen from the Central Business District of Nuku’alofa on February 14. The CBD night curfew has been extended for another week under the current State of Emergency.
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Thursday 15 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva is back in Tonga, after travelling to New Zealand on February 5 for medical check-ups following an illness. "I'm fine!" he told Matangi Tonga this morning. Parliament will meet tomorrow at a central location to be decided.
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Wednesday 14 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, 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.
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Wednesday 14 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fua'amotu International Airport has opened for operation from 1:00pm today, confirmed Viliami Ma’ake, CEO at Tonga Airports Ltd. The domestic airport remains out of order due to damage caused by Cyclone Gita on Monday night and domestic flights will now operate out of the International Airport until the domestic airport is restored.
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Wednesday 14 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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.
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Wednesday 14 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
At least 80% of the electricity network was severely damaged from Nuku’alofa CBD up to Lavengamelie, to Tofoa and back to Patangata and Popua, said Seti Chen, Manager Operations at Tonga Power Ltd. today as damage assessment after Severe Tropical Cyclone Gita continued. He estimates power should be fully restored within five weeks once extra help arrives.
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Wednesday 14 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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.
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Monday 12 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Under Tonga's current State of Emergency, a curfew in the Central Business District area of Nuku’alofa will start from 9:00pm tonight (Monday) until 7:00am tomorrow Tuesday 13 February 2018, Commissioner of Tonga Police, Stephen Caldwell stated tonight, as Severe Tropical Cyclone Gita closes in on Tongatapu.
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Monday 12 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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.”
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Monday 12 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A State of Emergency has been declared for Tonga at 10:00am this morning in preparation for severe Tropical Cyclone Gita as threatens to hit southern Tonga witha potential Category 5 force from around 7:00pm tonight, Monday 12 February 2018.
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Sunday 11 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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.
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Tonga weather forecast from yr.no, delivered by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the NRK. See also Fua'amotu Weather Forecasting Center, Tonga, for latest local weather bulletin.