At 4 p.m. local time on the 20th, the first foreign rescue aircraft, the New Zealand Air Force rescue aircraft, arrived in Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga. New Zealand said the aircraft used a non-contact method to provide Tonga with urgently needed relief materials such as bottled water.
On the 15th, the hong aha apay island volcano erupted violently and triggered a large-scale tsunami, and Tonga suffered heavy human and property losses. After the disaster, the Tongan government formed an emergency committee to start the restoration of electrical communications and the removal of volcanic ash as soon as possible. The Prime Minister's Office of Tonga officially declared on the 19th that the whole country entered a state of emergency from January 16 to February 13.
A New Zealand Air Force rescue plane arrives in Tonga, pictured by New Zealand media
According to foreign media such as the Integrated British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Reuters and The Washington Post, after the volcanic ash on the airport runway was cleared, at 4 p.m. on the 20th (11 a.m. Beijing time on the 20th), the New Zealand Air Force rescue aircraft arrived in Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga.
After the eruption of the Hon Aha Apay Island volcano on the 15th, an underwater cable connecting Tonga to the outside world was cut off, resulting in a disruption of communications; the large amount of volcanic ash spewed out hampered rescue efforts, "seriously affecting" Tonga's fresh water supply.
At present, Tonga communications have been gradually restored. Volunteers are urgently clearing the airport runway to land planes carrying drinking water and supplies.
Just hours before the New Zealand plane landed, the Tongan consulate tweeted several photos showing trees and buildings flattened and covered in ashes. Twitter wrote: "Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga, is being covered in volcanic ash. ”
Tweet screenshots
Jim Gilmour, commander of the New Zealand rescue team that arrived in Tonga, said on the 20th that the volcanic ash from the airport runway was removed, which was a "huge effort". He revealed that the first rescue aircraft carrying bottled water, generators, temporary evacuation kits, sanitation tools and communication equipment was expected to return to New Zealand after a 90-minute stay.
Tonga, with a population of just over 100,000, is one of the few countries in the world that currently has no COVID-19 pandemic. Gilmour said that in order to avoid the spread of the new crown virus to Tonga, they decided to provide relief supplies in a non-contact manner, that is, the crew will wear personal protective equipment and avoid contact with people on the ground.
This is the first foreign rescue aircraft to land in Tonga, after which other rescue aircraft and ships from New Zealand, Australia and Japan will arrive to transport fresh water, generators, health and medical supplies.
The Australian foreign minister said the aid "will meet the needs of the Tongan people and support the immediate clean-up effort". Japan will provide emergency relief, including drinking water and equipment to remove volcanic ash, and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said that "every effort will be done for the affected people in Tonga".
On the 15th, the hong aha apay island volcano erupted violently and triggered a large-scale tsunami, and Tonga suffered heavy human and property losses. On the 18th, the Tonga government issued its first statement, saying that the country suffered an "unprecedented disaster", in which two locals and a British national died. Some of the smaller, remote islands have been particularly affected, with all houses destroyed on one island and only two houses left on the other.
The Prime Minister's Office of Tonga officially declared on the 19th local time that the whole country entered a state of emergency from January 16 to February 13. U.N. humanitarian officials report that about 84,000 people ( more than 80 percent of Tonga's population ) have been affected by the eruption , and Tonga currently faces drinking water and food shortages.
The Government of Tonga officially declared a national state of emergency
Cao Xiaolin, our envoy to Tonga, said on the 18th that there are more than 1,000 Chinese citizens and company employees on the main island of Tonga. After a comprehensive investigation, they are currently safe, living and working normally. Due to the interruption of communications between Tonga and the outside world, we have asked the Government of Tonga to assist in understanding the situation of Chinese citizens on the outer islands and to actively provide assistance.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on the 18th that in order to help the Tongan government and people tide over the difficulties, the Chinese side will assist a batch of emergency supplies such as drinking water, food, personal protective equipment, disaster relief equipment and other emergency materials at the request of the Tang side, and will arrive as soon as the airport resumes operation and the flight conditions permit.
This article is an exclusive manuscript of the Observer Network and may not be reproduced without authorization.