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Thursday 16 April 2020 7:34pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Australia has provided immediate financial assistance to Tonga after severe Tropical Cyclone Harold and supoort in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Thursday 16 April 2020 6:28pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Petrol, diesel, and kerosene prices have fallen for the second month in a row after the new prices were approved by the Tonga Competent Authority (TCA) effective today, 16 April. Premium content -
Thursday 16 April 2020 5:12pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : ‘Ata, Tonga’s southernmost island, is a long way away, separated from Tongatapu by 160 km of open ocean. ‘Ata’s place in the history books is well established. It was here, in June 1863, that the whaling ship Grecian under Captain Thomas McGrath anchored off the northeastern shore and only village, Kolomaile. The details of the events that followed are sketchily recorded, but the consequence is notorious. A large number of ‘Ata’s residents were lured on to the ship, captured, and then sold to a Peruvian slaver for transport to Lima. None were to return. In the aftermath of the raid, and under the orders of Tupou I, the remaining ‘Atans were resettled on ‘Eua, in a village they again named Kolomaile. By David V. Burley.2 comments -
Wednesday 15 April 2020 7:33pm
Manila, Philippines : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) increased its response to the novel coronavirus disease pandemic by $13.5 billion, increasing its response package from $6.5 billion to $20 billion on Monday, 13 April. Premium content -
Wednesday 15 April 2020 7:10pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : An Air New Zealand flight arrived at Fua'amotu International Airport today with medical supplies from New Zealand. The return flight to Auckland has evacuated passengers from Tonga who will undergo health screening and managed isolation in New Zealand. Premium content -
Wednesday 15 April 2020 6:57pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Two men arrested and charged for breaching the night curfew at Kolonga, were alleged to have in possession drug utensils and $4,900 pa’anga cash, on April 11. Premium content -
Wednesday 15 April 2020 6:50pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Four people were arrested after the seizure of 2.14 grams of methamphetamine at a residence in Kapeta, Kolomotu’a on April 11. Premium content -
Wednesday 15 April 2020 6:45pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Twenty-two people were today sentenced to a range of fines between $300 to $1100 pa'anga each for breaching the national lockdown notice, at the Mu'a Magistrate's Court. Another 20 accused will be tried next week. Premium content -
Wednesday 15 April 2020 3:44pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Extensive damage along Tongatapu and 'Eua coastlines caused by Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold is shown in dramatic before and after satellite images released by the UNITAR / UNOSAT in a preliminary report today. The coastal Royal Residence Liukava at Kolovai was caught in the surge. -
Tuesday 14 April 2020 7:00pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Local registered and informal businesses are now able to apply for assistance, under a $16.4 million pa’anga COVID-19 Business Economy Emergency Relief Fund. -
Tuesday 14 April 2020 6:36pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Three of five people were today sentenced to a fine of $1,000 pa’anga each at the Fasi Magistrate’s Court for breaching restrictions imposed, during the national lockdown. To date, more than 100 people have been arrested and charged by Police for breaching restrictions. Premium content -
Tuesday 14 April 2020 6:31pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga's national lockdown was eased on Sunday, April 12 after the Prime Minister said that the Ministry of Health confirmed no COVID-19 cases. However, borders remain closed, while a curfew and ban on gatherings has been continued. Premium content -
Tuesday 14 April 2020 2:37pm
Auckland, New Zealand : Samoa, Tonga and Fiji are currently not permitting international flights, but if these restrictions end, Air New Zealand is likely to operate one return service per week from Auckland, the airline stated today. Premium content -
Monday 13 April 2020 8:23pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : An Australian doctor in Tonga warns that it’s too early for children to return to school tomorrow because we do not know for certain if the recent arrivals in Tonga were free of the virus or just had no symptoms. “If they did pass it to people they have contacted, those contacts may still be incubating the disease...To relax these restrictions now risks an outbreak of the disease, with potentially terrible consequences.” he said. There are no CoViD-19 tests here, so Tonga is “flying blind”.2 comments -
Monday 13 April 2020 1:57pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tongatapu's best beaches along the Sunset Coast, remain deeply embedded with the shrapnel-like remains of resort buildings ravaged by the “unbelievable power” of Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold's storm surge on Thursday. -
Saturday 11 April 2020 8:03pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The body of a man, found floating on the shoreline of ‘Eua after it was struck by Cyclone Harold on Thursday Morning, 9 April, was not a cyclone victim, authorities confirmed today. 'Eua suffered the greatest impact of the cyclone in Tonga. -
Saturday 11 April 2020 7:35pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The sea came up over Vuna Road at around 7:18am, at least one hour before the predicted king tide at 8:13 am, as Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold pushed a surge into the Nuku'alofa seafront on Thursday morning. It could have been worse. A view from space shows how Tongatapu "dodged a bullet” as the cyclone's screaming eyewall missed Tongatapu, passing to the south. -
Saturday 11 April 2020 5:04pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs has this week announced NZ$4 million to the Government of Tonga in general budget support. This is in addition to NZ$100,000 previously provided and another NZ$1 million to be given to Tonga’s Ministry of Health to support implementing its CoViD-19 prevention plan. Premium content -
Friday 10 April 2020 5:53pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : “My family were swimming inside the house,” said Patangata Community Policing Officer, Sami Mafi, after Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold sent a waist-high storm surge through the community soon after dawn on Thursday morning, smashing fishing boats and dumping rock over the breakwater. -
Friday 10 April 2020 4:53pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Liku‘alofa Beach Resort, on Tongatapu's southwest Sunset Coast, was demolished by severe Tropical Cyclone Harold (category 4) when it hit Tongatapu in the early hours of Thursday, April 9. Other resorts along the coast were also reported destroyed.
