An emergency signal has been picked up from a low-lying island in Tonga. The extent of the volcanic eruption and the ensuing tsunami is unclear, but at least two are dead.
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The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano, located on an uninhabited island 65 kilometers north of the capital Nuku’alofa, had a violent eruption both Saturday and Sunday.
These satellite images show the area before and after the volcanic eruption:
1 of 3Photo: MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES / Reuters
It went about 30 miles up in the air, and ash, gas and acid rain fell again over large parts of the Pacific region. The outbreak made an impact all over the world, was audible all the way to Alaska and the tsunami hit coastlines from Japan to the United States.
In Tonga, the eruption resulted in a tsunami wave of 1.2 meters.
See the outbreak here:
At least two people died
Two people have been confirmed dead, including a British citizen, the New Zealand government said.
The British is 50-year-old Angela Glover, who according to her brother lost her life when she tried to save her dogs. She lived in Tonga with her husband. The couple ran a rescue and relocation center for stray dogs.
Captured active emergency signal
Almost three days later, the extent of the damage is still unknown.
– An active emergency signal has been picked up from Mango, reports the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The isolated, low-lying island of Mango is home to more than 30 people, according to Census figures from Tonga.
The UN agency expresses particular concern for Mango and Fonoi after surveillance aircraft have seen “significant material damage” there from Saturday’s volcanic eruption, but without making contact with people on the islands.
The UN body reports significant damage along the beaches on the west side of Tonga’s main island Tongatapu, where several resorts and homes have either been destroyed or severely affected, and two people have been reported missing, but no details are known about them.
See how the tsunami washed over Tonga here:
The internet connection with the outside world is broken and it may take two weeks before it is back.
– Communication is still the biggest problem, as the internet and the international telephone lines are still out of order, it is said from OCHA.
Satellite phones are the only secure way to connect with the rest of the world. But the UN agency points out that they are also sometimes unreliable.
–New Zealand and Australia have both sent surveillance aircraft to probe the terrain after the eruption, and preparations are being made to transport much-needed supplies to the island state.
New Zealanders say there is so much ash on the runway at the airport in the capital Nuku’alofa that no planes can land.
A Herkules aircraft is ready to carry emergency supplies, including equipment for storing water, generators and hygiene kits as soon as the runway is ready.
Several ships with supplies will leave New Zealand for Tonga on Tuesday. Travel time is around three days.
Equipment and people will be sent on one of the ships for search and diving, while large amounts of water and other humanitarian supplies will be sent on another, according to Minister of Defense Peeni Henare.
– Water is immediately needed
OCHA says that there is also concern about pollution of drinking water and crops in Tonga, and that water safety may also be threatened.
Tonga’s capital Nuku’alofa is believed to be covered in 1-2 centimeters of ash, which could cause the water supplies to be poisoned and make it difficult for people in the city to breathe.
“We know that water is an immediate need,” said New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Sending planes to Tonga: – The damage can be enormous–
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