The United Nations has warned that Tonga has a population of about 84,000, representing 80% of the country’s population, and has been affected by the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano and the ensuing tsunami., A total of three people were killed.
“Very pressing humanitarian needs Drinking water, food and non-food items. Of course, andRestoring communication services, including international calls and the Internet, is also a priority“, he said Stephen Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
Dujarric described that “All the houses on Mango Island have been destroyed” He added, “Only two houses remain on the island of Phnom Penh. Extensive damage has been reported in Nomuka.” Regarding the evacuation, he also promised that work on cleaning up Tonga International Airport would continue.
The first plane landed
In this sense, The first plane, owned by the New Zealand Air Force with humanitarian assistance, landed at about 4:00 (local time) with water containers, ‘kits’ for temporary shelters and other hygiene and cleaning supplies., According to the newspaper New Zealand Herald.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nanaya MahudaHe said that before landing, the delivery of goods would be done without contact and that it would be done within 90 minutes, after which the flight would return to New Zealand.
The relief plane should have arrived earlier this week. But despite that, The planes could not land safely as the runway at Tonga Airport was covered in dark gray, So the cleaning services redoubled their efforts to renovate the area.
“The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is sending water and other supplies via the Australian Royal Navy ship ‘HMAS Adelaide’, which is expected to depart for Tonga on January 21,” he said. Dujarric.
(With information from the European Press)