When a volcano in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga began erupting in late-December 2021 and then violently exploded in mid-January 2022, NASA scientist Jim Garvin and colleagues were unusually well positioned to study the events. Ever since new land rose above the water surface in 2015 and joined two existing islands, Garvin and an international team of researchers have been monitoring changes there. The team used a combination of satellite observations and surface-based geophysical surveys to track the evolution of the rapidly changing piece of Earth. Now all of the new land is gone, along with large chunks of the two older islands. Story, pictures and links - NASA Earth Observatory.
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Thursday 10 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga has reported 31 new COVID-19 positive cases this morning, one of them in Tu'anuku, Vava'u, as authorities try to slow the outbreak with a continuing lockdown. Two new suburbs of Nuku'alofa, named as Mataika and Kolomotu'a have one case each. Tests sent to Australia have confirmed the Omicron variant has arrived in Tonga.
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Wednesday 9 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Twenty new positive COVID-19 tests were reported in Tonga today, and they are all close contacts and family members of previous cases.
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Tuesday 8 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The cable repair ship, Reliance, found the Fiji end of the Tonga cable this afternoon - but more breaks are suspected and it will setback the repair date to Sunday Feb. 20. By Linny Folau.
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Tuesday 8 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Six new COVID-19 positive cases were announced by Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni today Tuesday, Feb. 8, bringing the total number of active positive cases in Tonga to 13. They are all close contacts of earlier cases. Two were believed infected while kava drinking at Pili, and the other four are a family of an earlier case at Vaini, with both areas are identified as hotspots in the current outbreak.
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Monday 7 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Progress has been slow today, Monday, in the search for the Fiji end of Tonga's submarine telecommunications cable - suspected to be broken in several places. Bad weather and rough seas persist in the area. The cable repair ship Reliance recovered the Tonga end of the international cable over the weekend, and secured it at 7:00am Saturday. The ship also recovered a 1.2km long piece of separated submarine cable.
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Monday 7 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two ports workers might have contracted COVID-19 early last week due to 'human error' said Ministry of Health CEO Dr Siale 'Akau'ola, yesterday, Feb. 6. The Omicron variant is suspected in the Tonga outbreak and expected to be confirmed later this week, when the virus test results come from Australia.
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Sunday 6 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two new COVID-19 positive cases, bring the active number to seven for Tonga, Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, told a Sunday afternoon press conference. The 48-hours national lockdown, which expired today at 6:00pm, has been extended for 14-days for Tongatapu and Vava’u, as testing and vaccinations are continued.
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Sunday 6 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
After two weeks of scrambling for satellite connectivity, one of Tonga's two main telecommunications networks started rolling out more data capacity last week. But there's simply not enough capacity to meet national demand, and allocation of bandwidth has to be carefully managed, until the fibre optic cable is repaired.
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Saturday 5 February 2022
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Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Aotearoa New Zealand is donating an additional 9,300 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Tonga, and $3 million in humanitarian funding. A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules has departed Base Auckland Whenuapai earlier today, Feb. 5, carrying the vaccines, rapid antigen tests, and equipment to support re-establishing the electrical network.
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Friday 4 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
One new COVID-19 case was confirmed today from more tests conducted yesterday and last night, the Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, said this afternoon. A total of 726 COVID tests had been done, following the first community transmission detected in Tonga on Feb. 1. More Pfizer vaccines are expected to arrive Saturday, for booster shots. By Eleanor Gee.
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Friday 4 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's broken submarine telecommunications cable is not where it is supposed to be. A search last night by an ROV from the cable boat Reliance, could not locate the break, after it arrived in the area yesterday. By Linny Folau.
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Thursday 3 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
No further COVID-19 positive cases were found in Tonga, after negative tests were returned for 389 port workers yesterday, the Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni told a media conference today. The number of active cases has reduced from five to four.
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Thursday 3 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two people have been confirmed to have drowned last week in Vava’u, a 17 year old youth, and a 30 year old woman in separate incidents.
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Thursday 3 February 2022
Apia, Samoa
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme is deeply concerned about the impact of the Hunga Tonga - Hunga Ha’apai underwater volcano eruption, and tsunami, on the people of Tonga, Director General, Mr Kosi Latu stated today. The events again highlighted the vulnerability of the Pacific region and its people to natural disasters. SPREP is working on ways to support Tonga during its environmental recovery and rebuilding phases.
Wednesday 2 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Three new positive COVID-19 cases have been confirmed for Tonga today, February 2 bringing the number to five in total. The new cases are a spouse (29) and their two children aged 4 and 3 years of one of the first two COVID-19 positive cases confirmed yesterday.
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Tuesday 1 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Breaking news: Tonga has recorded its first two COVID-19 positive cases today, among the front liners handling incoming cargo shipments, Tonga's Prime Minister announced in a urgent press conference at 9:00pm. tonight, Tuesday. Tonga now faces its first COVID-19 lockdown before full telcommunications have been restored, and businesses and homes and communities are left without working internet.
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Tuesday 1 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A possibility that Tonga’s shellfish, Kaloa’a, and reef fish may be contaminated and inedible following the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption has been a major concern for the CEO for the Ministry of Fisheries, Dr Tu’ikolongahau Halafihi.
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Tuesday 1 February 2022
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Nomuka health clinic in Ha’apai, destroyed by tsunamis on January 15, is now operating temporarily out of a school in Nomuka, the Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola, said today. Another health clinic that was damaged at Sopu, Tongatapu, has been closed.
Tuesday 1 February 2022
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Nuku’alofa, Tonga
Motesio Vaioleti (33), who knew he was driving with faulty brakes with his children in the vehicle, and crashed into another vehicle, was fined $300 pa’anga. Mr Justice Niu “This offence is serious,” said the Judge who recommended that the Legislature heavier penalties be legislated for this offence, because there are many vehicles on the road, “we should not wait until a life is lost,” he said.
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