On the morning of the 20th, local residents cleared the road in Nuku'alofa
A car covered in volcanic ash in Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, was reported by Xinhua News Agency
According to Xinhua News Agency, the New Zealand Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the volcanic eruption disaster in Tonga on the 19th, saying that at present, Tonga has established a temporary communication system that can use 2G signals to communicate with the outside world, but communication is still "limited and scattered". At the same time, New Zealand, Fiji and other countries plan to rescue Tonga.
A statement from The New Zealand Foreign Office said international mobile communications service company Digisel had set up a temporary 2G communications system on The main island of Tonga, Tarbes, but the communication system could only cover about 10% of the regular capacity, with priority given to voice and SMS communications. According to the assessment, the Tonga submarine cable will take at least 4 weeks to repair.
According to New Zealand media reports, all houses on Atata Andat and Muang O Island in Tonga have been destroyed, including a well-known tourist resort, and only two houses remain on Foroy Fua Island. It is reported that at the time of the eruption, there were about 50 people each on The Islands of Mangao and Foroyfua, and the Tongan government has begun to evacuate the survivors of the above-mentioned islands. At present, Tonga's electricity supply has been largely restored, and volcanic ash clean-up and damage assessment work is under way.
New Zealand's Foreign Office said the Tongan government had approved two New Zealand naval rescue ships to dock. If weather conditions permit, the two rescue ships carrying fresh water and food and other supplies will arrive in Tonga on the 21st.
Fiji Acting Prime Minister Hayyum said on the 19th that Fiji will send soldiers to Tonga to provide necessary post-disaster relief. He said Fiji was working closely with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand to coordinate a regional relief effort after the eruption of The Tonga volcano. The Fiji military said the planned group of military personnel consisted mainly of 50 military engineers. Fiji prepared to send these soldiers to Brisbane, Australia, and then sailed with Australian soldiers on royal Australian navy ships on the 21st.
A violent eruption of the submarine volcano on the island of Aha Apai in Tongahun on the 14th and 15th has caused 3 deaths and some injuries. The Government of Tonga has declared a state of emergency in the country.
For the spread of the virus United Nations aid workers do not land on the island
According to Xinhua News Agency, United Nations officials said on the 19th that in order to prevent the introduction of the new crown virus into Tonga, most of the actions such as assistance to this South Pacific island country will be carried out "remotely", and aid workers may not land on the island of Tonga. Currently, there is no outbreak in Tonga.
U.N. official Jonathan Vecchi said at a news conference in Fiji that the U.N. side would send planes to deliver supplies, "but we are not sure if we can send a plane carrying (aid) personnel because Tonga's epidemic prevention policy is very strict."
The eruption of the submarine volcano on Hong Aha Apai Island on the 14th and 15th damaged the submarine communication lines, resulting in poor communication between Tonga and the outside world. The Tongan government issued its first statement on the 18th, saying that the violent eruption of the submarine volcano has caused 3 deaths and some injuries, and the country is in a state of emergency.
Tonga's diplomat in Australia, Quartis Tuiharan ginger, told the media reporter on the 17th that Tonga is worried about the risk of aid materials spreading the new crown virus to the island, requiring that all relief materials delivered to Tonga need to be quarantined, and foreign personnel may not be allowed to get off the plane.
Source: Yangcheng Evening News