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Monday 13 January 2014 1:45pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Digicel Tonga’s mobile communication network in Pangai, Ha’apai has been restored at 10:0am this morning January 13 since it went down on the afternoon of Saturday January 11 when Tropical Cyclone Ian (Cat 5) hit the Lifuka Island. “I have not seen such devastating damages from a cyclone,” said Tupou ‘Ahome‘e Faupula, who went to Ha‘apai with the Digicel crew.
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Monday 13 January 2014 2:15am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : While communications are down in Tonga’s Ha'apai Islands, concerns are held by families for the well being of the communities that live on low lying outer islands, as aerial pictures continue to come in showing extensive damage to homes and villages. The organisers of the recovery effort, hampered by communications problems, are finding it hard to assess the needs priorities. Flights to Ha‘apai are expected to resume on Monday. Premium content -
Sunday 12 January 2014 10:15pm
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga : An RNZAF Orion has completed an aerial survey of the Ha‘apai Islands this afternoon to assist the Tonga Government assess the damage after Category 5 Cyclone Ian ripped into the low-lying central group of Tonga yesterday afternoon. Photos courtesy RNZAF. -
Sunday 12 January 2014 8:30am
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga : One person died on LIfuka as Tropical Cyclone Ian Category 5 ripped through the Ha‘apai Islands yesterday afternoon, causing extensive devastation, although the full extent of the impact on the low lying islands is unknown in Tonga's first recorded Category 5 cyclone. In Lifuka most houses were flattened or damaged and people sheltered in the churches and other community buildings. Premium content -
Saturday 11 January 2014 7:45pm
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga : No deaths, injuries, missing persons or missing vessels were reported in Tonga by this afternoon as Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian, now category 4, with its centre packing punches from 194-268km/hr gusts, weaved its way between the Vava‘u and Ha‘apai groups today, passing close to the exposed small outlying island communities of Mo‘unga‘one and Muitoa, whose fate remains unknown. However, the powerful cyclone that intensified to category 5 last night has surprised storm-watchers by letting Vava‘u off lightly without the expected destruction.1 comment Premium content -
Saturday 11 January 2014 11:00am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A state of emergency for Vava‘u and Ha‘apai was declared at 8:00am today as Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian strengthened to Category 5, battering the groups with damaging gales and heavy rains overnight and today, with powerful intermittent gusts that were forecast to increase to 110 knots (203km per hour) with momentary gusts to 155 knots (287km). However the 9:30am advisory from Fua'amotu Tropical Cyclone warning Centre has downgraded Ian to Category 4 with gusts up to 135 knots. Premium content -
Saturday 11 January 2014 1:00am
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga : Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian is closing in on Vava‘u tonight with huge gusts and heavy rain sweeping the group, and much worse to come, with “phenomenal seas” and very destructive 90-125 knots gusts predicted before dawn. At midnight, Vava‘u residents said the gusts were getting much stronger. In its 12:30am advisory for Saturday January 11, Fua‘amotu TCWC stated that the Category 4 cyclone was located about 125km northwest of Hunga (VV) and 125km northwest of Longomapu (VV) or about 210km north-northwest of Lifuka at 10:00pm and moving southeast at 5 knots. Premium content -
Friday 10 January 2014 11:45pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga’s ousted Finance Minister Lisiate ‘Akolo told journalists today that he will not resign and he believes that he is still the Minister of Finance.1 comment Premium content -
Friday 10 January 2014 8:00pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian heading towards Vava‘u and Ha‘apai, has islanders hunkering down and expecting a battering from the Category 4 storm that is forecast to bring destructive winds over central Tonga overnight, with gusts of 80 to 115 knots at times. Premium content -
Thursday 9 January 2014 9:00pm
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga : A crowd of around 200 New Year's visitors remain onshore at Tonga’s remote Niuatoputapu Island today, as Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian is expected to track across the ferry route between Niuatoputapu and southern Tonga, intensifying into a Category 4 storm over the next two days. Premium content -
Thursday 9 January 2014 4:39pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Upgraded to Category 3, Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian is intensifying and currently threatens Tonga's northern Niuafo‘ou Island where damaging gale force winds are expected this afternoon and evening. The Fua‘amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) at 1:15pm also issued a gale warning for Vavau, and a strong wind warning for Niuatoputapu. Premium content -
Wednesday 8 January 2014 9:00pm
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga. : Tonga’s Cabinet this afternoon supported the Prime Minister’s call for the resignation of the Minister of Finance, Hon. Lisiate ‘Akolo - who is refusing to stand down, after commenting on radio recently about a 5% salary rise for civil servants.2 comments Premium content -
Wednesday 8 January 2014 5:00pm
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga : Now upgraded to Category 2 storm in Tonga, Tropical Cyclone Ian is moving towards Tonga’s northernmost island, Niuafo‘ou. On its current track, TC Ian may bring damaging gale force winds to Niuafo‘ou in the next 12 to 24 hours, and is expected to turn and move to the southeast over Tonga during the next three days. Premium content -
Wednesday 8 January 2014 3:15pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Twenty-two cruise ships visits are expected to islands in Tonga this year 2014, a growth from the seventeen visits made last year. Premium content -
Wednesday 8 January 2014 3:15pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga’s Minister of Finance, Hon. Lisiate ‘Akolo was not allowed into a Special Meeting of the Tongan Cabinet, that started at 2:00 pm this afternoon. Premium content -
Tuesday 7 January 2014 6:45pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Lo'au University, Tonga’s first online virtual university, was officially launched yesterday, January 6, by the Minister of Education, Hon. Dr 'Ana Taufe'ulungaki at the Lopaukamea II Hall, University of the South Pacific Campus, Ha‘ateiho. Premium content -
Monday 6 January 2014 5:30pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : UPDATE: A tropical cyclone alert and strong wind warning remains in force for Vava‘u and Ha‘apai as a tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Cyclone Ian Category 1, located halfway between Vava‘u, Tonga, and Lifuka, Fiji, this morning. Tonga's Fua’amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre issued a third Tropical Cyclone Advisory at 4:30pm today, January 6, 2014 as Cyclone Ian slowly moves closer to Tonga. Premium content -
Monday 6 January 2014 5:00pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : An anti-whaling organisation, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has today reported the sighting of whale poachers inside the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary (an area of the Pacific Ocean near Antarctica). Premium content -
Monday 6 January 2014 10:15am
Neiafu, Vava‘u : Fire gutted a three level building at Fungamisi, Neiafu, on Saturday evening. Photos by LIsa Molloy. Premium content -
Friday 3 January 2014 8:04pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Samoa has been granted US$14.6 Million by the World Bank to improve the resistance of coastal communities against natural disasters. Premium content
