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Disasters

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Tongan government confirms all homes on Mango destroyed, fears death toll of 3 may rise

January 19, 2022

RNZ News The Tongan government has confirmed that all houses on the island of Mango were wiped out in the tsunami that followed Saturday’s volcanic eruption. It confirmed that three people are now known to have died: a 65-year-old woman in Mango and a 49-year-old man in Nomuka, both in the outlying Ha’apai island group; ... <a title="Tongan government confirms all homes on Mango destroyed, fears death toll of 3 may rise" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/19/tongan-government-confirms-all-homes-on-mango-destroyed-fears-death-toll-of-3-may-rise/" aria-label="Read more about Tongan government confirms all homes on Mango destroyed, fears death toll of 3 may rise">Read more</a>

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Tonga eruption: New Zealand sends two navy ships with supplies, water

January 18, 2022

RNZ News Two New Zealand naval ships are being sent to Tonga to provide support, carrying fresh water, emergency provisions, and diving teams. It comes as ashfall on the Nuku’alofa airport runway means one of the aircraft readied yesterday — a C-130 Hercules, to supply aid — would be unable to land. The official death ... <a title="Tonga eruption: New Zealand sends two navy ships with supplies, water" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/tonga-eruption-new-zealand-sends-two-navy-ships-with-supplies-water/" aria-label="Read more about Tonga eruption: New Zealand sends two navy ships with supplies, water">Read more</a>

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Eruption renews debate on lack of backup for Tongan communications

January 18, 2022

By Kalino Latu and Philip Cass in Auckland Lack of backup satellite and cable links in the wake of Tonga’s volcanic eruption at the weekend reignites debate over the government’s plans to secure communications. Communication with Tonga remains intermittent after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption and tsunami severed the kingdom’s undersea cable connection with the ... <a title="Eruption renews debate on lack of backup for Tongan communications" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/eruption-renews-debate-on-lack-of-backup-for-tongan-communications/" aria-label="Read more about Eruption renews debate on lack of backup for Tongan communications">Read more</a>

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Fiji’s AG blames Tongan tsunami warning delay on ‘agency liaison’

January 18, 2022

By Luke Nacei in Suva Fiji’s Department of Mineral Resources needs time to liaise with a number of agencies before emergency warnings or alerts are issued, says acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. He made the comment after being quizzed on the delay in issuing a tsunami warning in Fiji following the underwater volcanic ... <a title="Fiji’s AG blames Tongan tsunami warning delay on ‘agency liaison’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/fijis-ag-blames-tongan-tsunami-warning-delay-on-agency-liaison/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji’s AG blames Tongan tsunami warning delay on ‘agency liaison’">Read more</a>

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Tonga’s undersea communications cable could take weeks to repair

January 18, 2022

By Hamish Cardwell, RNZ News senior journalist It could be weeks before Tonga’s crucial undersea communications cable – which connects it to the world – is back online. The cable carries nearly all digital information including the internet and phone communications in and out of Tonga. It was damaged after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic ... <a title="Tonga’s undersea communications cable could take weeks to repair" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/tongas-undersea-communications-cable-could-take-weeks-to-repair/" aria-label="Read more about Tonga’s undersea communications cable could take weeks to repair">Read more</a>

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Tongan volcanic eruption reveals the vulnerabilities in global telecommunications

January 18, 2022

ANALYSIS: By Dale Dominey-Howes, University of Sydney In the wake of a violent volcanic eruption in Tonga, much of the communication with residents on the islands remains at a standstill. In our modern, highly-connected world, more than 95 percent of global data transfer occurs along fibre-optic cables that criss-cross through the world’s oceans. Breakage or ... <a title="Tongan volcanic eruption reveals the vulnerabilities in global telecommunications" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/tongan-volcanic-eruption-reveals-the-vulnerabilities-in-global-telecommunications/" aria-label="Read more about Tongan volcanic eruption reveals the vulnerabilities in global telecommunications">Read more</a>

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Anxious Tongans in NZ await volcano news from home: ‘It’s painful, you just feel hopeless’

January 18, 2022

By Christine Rovoi, RNZ Pacific journalist Langi Fatanitavake’s wife and son live on one of the islands flanking Tonga’s Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai undersea volcano, but his repeated calls home since the violent eruption and tsunami have gone unanswered. The South Island seasonal worker last spoke to his family on Ha’apai on Saturday afternoon, shortly before ... <a title="Anxious Tongans in NZ await volcano news from home: ‘It’s painful, you just feel hopeless’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/anxious-tongans-in-nz-await-volcano-news-from-home-its-painful-you-just-feel-hopeless/" aria-label="Read more about Anxious Tongans in NZ await volcano news from home: ‘It’s painful, you just feel hopeless’">Read more</a>

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PM Ardern on covid-19 vaccine for children, booster doses and Tonga

January 18, 2022

RNZ News Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand will move to the red traffic light setting if omicron is spreading in the community following reports that a border worker who was yesterday reported as covid-19 positive has been confirmed to have the omicron variant. On Tonga, Defence Minister Peeni Henare says he understands power ... <a title="PM Ardern on covid-19 vaccine for children, booster doses and Tonga" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/pm-ardern-on-covid-19-vaccine-for-children-booster-doses-and-tonga/" aria-label="Read more about PM Ardern on covid-19 vaccine for children, booster doses and Tonga">Read more</a>

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NZ Air Force plane leaves for Tonga to assess volcano eruption damage

January 18, 2022

RNZ Pacific Power is being restored in Tonga’s capital Nuku’alofa, and the country is sending naval boats to outlying islands to assess the damage from the huge Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption and tsunami. A New Zealand Defence Force plane has left for Tonga to assess the damage from Saturday’s volcanic eruption and tsunami. The violent ... <a title="NZ Air Force plane leaves for Tonga to assess volcano eruption damage" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/nz-air-force-plane-leaves-for-tonga-to-assess-volcano-eruption-damage/" aria-label="Read more about NZ Air Force plane leaves for Tonga to assess volcano eruption damage">Read more</a>

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Tsunami wave hits Tonga’s ‘Eua royal palace gate as vehicles try to flee

January 18, 2022

The video of the tsunami wave crashing into the gate of the Heilala Tangitangi royal palace in ‘Eua. Video: Kaniva Tonga By Kalino Latu in Auckland Tonga’s King Tupou VI is reportedly still on ‘Eua island despite reports yesterday that he had been evacuated to the royal villa at Mataki’eua in Tongatapu. The latest information ... <a title="Tsunami wave hits Tonga’s ‘Eua royal palace gate as vehicles try to flee" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/18/tsunami-wave-hits-tongas-eua-royal-palace-gate-as-vehicles-try-to-flee/" aria-label="Read more about Tsunami wave hits Tonga’s ‘Eua royal palace gate as vehicles try to flee">Read more</a>

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Former Fiji journalist in Tonga tells of family’s flight from crashing waves

January 16, 2022

Waves associated with the continuous volcanic eruption at Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai in Tonga crashed into Tonga’s largest island Tongatapu and forced residents to evacuate their homes. A former Fijian journalist, Iliesa Tora, said in his Facebook live video that explosions were heard and black clouds of smoke seen in the sky followed by abnormal tidal movements and ... <a title="Former Fiji journalist in Tonga tells of family’s flight from crashing waves" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/16/former-fiji-journalist-in-tonga-tells-of-familys-flight-from-crashing-waves/" aria-label="Read more about Former Fiji journalist in Tonga tells of family’s flight from crashing waves">Read more</a>

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No reports of deaths in Tongan volcano tsunami, says NZ prime minister

January 16, 2022

RNZ News New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says there are no official reports of injuries or deaths in Tonga in the wake of the undersea volcano eruption and tsunami, but communication with the kingdom is very limited. Communication with the island nation has been cut off since yesterday evening and members of the Tongan ... <a title="No reports of deaths in Tongan volcano tsunami, says NZ prime minister" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/01/16/no-reports-of-deaths-in-tongan-volcano-tsunami-says-nz-prime-minister/" aria-label="Read more about No reports of deaths in Tongan volcano tsunami, says NZ prime minister">Read more</a>