Fear of the introduction of the new crown Tonga may not allow foreign rescuers to "land on the island"

Beijing, January 17 (Xinhua) -- An official in Tonga said on the 17th that due to fears that the new crown virus will be introduced into this South Pacific island country, the Tongan government may not allow foreign rescuers to set foot on the island, and relief materials also need to be quarantined.

The undersea volcano of Hong Aha Apai Island in Tonga erupted violently on the 15th, and a tsunami occurred in Tonga and some neighboring countries as well as Japan and other countries, and many countries have expressed their willingness to provide assistance to Tonga.

On 17 January, a New Zealand Air Force military aircraft prepared to take off from air base in Auckland for Tonga. The New Zealand Ministry of Defence sent an aircraft to Tonga on the same day to survey the damage and the airstrip and port on Tongatapu Island, the main island of Tonga. The plane will not land in Tonga and will return on the same day. (Xinhua News Agency, courtesy of the New Zealand Ministry of Defence)

In a telephone interview with Reuters, Tonga's Australian diplomat, Quartis Tuiharankingi, said the Tongan government was currently discussing relief priorities.

"Tonga is concerned that relief supplies run the risk of spreading COVID-19 to the island," Tuiharanjinji said, "there is no outbreak in Tonga and we don't want another tsunami, a tsunami of COVID-19." ”

He said all relief supplies delivered to Tonga would require quarantine and that foreign personnel might not be allowed to disembark.

Due to the damage to submarine communication lines caused by volcanic eruptions, Tonga's external communications are basically interrupted. Tuihalan Jinji said that domestic communications in Tonga have been basically restored, and it will take at least a week for external communications to be restored.

He also said that volcanic ash from submarine volcanoes poses major health risks and can contaminate drinking water.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also said on the 16th that due to volcanic ash polluting the water source, fresh water may become an urgent need for Tongan residents. (Zheng Haoning)

Source: Xinhua News Agency