Results for Natural events

Severe Tropical Cyclone Keni which has intensified into a Category 3 in Fiji waters, is expected to be about 265km southwest of Nuku’alofa tomorrow morning, Wednesday April 11.

Rain is slowly easing today on Tongatapu after a bout of heavy rain, which has fallen almost continuously since the end of last week, causing widespread flooding especially in low lying areas. Roads around Nuku’alofa were still flooded today, although the water should start subsiding as rain eases over the next few days.

Three container loads of building supplies from Fletcher Building South Pacific are set to arrive in Tonga to assist in rebuilding cyclone-damaged homes of people most in need. "We had 20 tonnes of donated roofing iron, which is enough to help repair around 25 homes,” said South Pacific General Manager Brent Leach.

Food and water were donated to line mechanics still working tireless to restore the power in Tongatapu post cyclone Gita, by Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku’aho on March 13.

Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku’aho today visited the National Emergency Management Office NEMO to find out and receive advice on what Tongans in Australia could assist in post cyclone recovery.

A local Chinese company joined the thousands of people who helped clean up Tonga after Tropical Cyclone Gita thrashed Tongatapu and ‘Eua last month. Using a small mobile crane, eight staff from the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) removed a huge satellite dish that was laying across Tupoulahi Road.

French Navy Ship, D’Entrecasteaux, delivered cyclone relief items to Tonga after detouring from its normal navigation trip in the Pacific soon after Cyclone Gita struck Tongatapu and ‘Eua on the evening of 12 February. The ship brought 46 cubic meters of items from Suva, Fiji, including tents, medical equipment, water and food parcels.

A donation of computer equipment including laptops to the Tonga Parliament was announced by the Parliament of the State of Victoria in Australia, today as part of a coordinated effort with the United Nations Development Programme to assist Tonga in the wake of Cyclone Gita.

A Brigadier General with the Nevada National Guard, who was in Tonga when Tropical Cyclone Gita struck on February 12, said they didn't expected Gita to turn towards Tongatapu or expect it to become a serious category of cyclone, but “In terms of sheer destruction, it’s up there with anything I’ve seen.”