Results for Emergencies

With more unseasonal heavy rain falling today in Tongatapu, homes in low lying and swamp areas in Kolomotu’a were flooded. Sio Tuiano, the Kolomotu’a Town Officer, who is concerned about the health risks of floodwaters contaminated with E.coli, said a few of the residents have taken shelter in an evacuation centre, but most people do not want to leave their homes.

Mahe Fonohema (10) died in a house fire last night Wednesday, 24 February at Ha’akame in Tongatapu, while two other boys escaped. The parents were allegedly not at home when the fire broke out.

The causeway at Foa in Ha’apai was closed off early this morning due to high tidal waves brought by Tropical Cyclone Winston (cat. 4) located north east of Vava'u. Evacuation centers were opened to people on the outer islands of Vava'u and Ha'apai, housing thousands of people overnight.

Four people escaped a fire that destroyed the home of Siosifa Fatafehi Fuatakifolaha (formerly Noble Veikune) in Longolongo, Nuku’alofa this afternoon.

A Tsunami Marine Warning for Tonga was cancelled this morning by the Tonga Meteorological Service. A tsunami generated during earthquakes in Chile yesterday no longer poses a threat to Tonga.

Fire razed a home in Fasi moe Afi this afternoon. No casualties were reported.

A driver who decided to turn a rental car into a beach buggy on Kanokupolu Beach at the weekend found himself stuck in the sand and sloshed by the tide.

Four Tongan law students who arrived in Tonga today are hoping that government will assist the remaining Tongan students to return. They are grateful to be back home after Tropical Cyclone Pam devastated Vanuatu five-days ago, “but we feel really bad that we had to abandon the rest of our Tongan students,” said Esther ‘Aholelei in tears at Fua'amotu airport.

Four fishermen who were rescued on Friday night, 13 March after their boat’s engine failed some 54 nautical miles south of Tongatapu were today thankful to New Zealand’s Orion P-3 aircraft and Tongan Navy for the swift search and rescue operation.