The first contactless aid flights arrived in disaster-hit トンガ 木曜日に, as the coronavirus-free Pacific island nation takes precautions to keep the virus out of its borders in the wake of a devastating volcanic 噴火 and tsunami.
Flights from Australia and New Zealand carrying humanitarian aid and disaster relief landed at Fua’amotu International Airport in Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa, after the runway was cleared of volcanic ash and debris following Saturday’s violent eruption of the underwater Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcano.
It also comes as a senior Tongan politician warned of potential food shortages in the country.
The aid will be delivered without any contact, to prevent the risk of COVID-19 spreading in the nation — which has only seen a single case since the start of the pandemic. Tonga has fully vaccinated more than 80% of its eligible population against the disease, 世界保健機関によると.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules prepares to leaves an airbase in Auckland, carrying aid to Tonga, 1月に 20, 2022.
A New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying sanitation, water purification, shelter and hygiene kits along with generators and communications equipment, has arrived in Tonga, Wellington’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday.
It was expected to be on the ground for up to 90 minutes before returning to New Zealand, 追加されたステートメント.
“There is going to be no contact. We have been rigorously disciplined in ensuring that Covid is not transmitted into Tonga,” New Zealand’s commander of Joint Forces, および中央ヨーロッパ. Jim Gilmour, 記者団に語った.
加えて, the offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Wellington is expected to arrive at the Nuku’alofa harbour on Thursday, ahead of other supply ships, according to a statement from the New Zealand government.
The ship is transporting hydrographic and dive personnel, and has a helicopter to assist with supply delivery, 声明は言った.
Another navy vessel carrying 250,000 liters of water will arrive in Tonga on Friday, Gilmour said.
The first of two C-17 Royal Australian Air Force planes has also landed in Tonga, according to Australia’s international development minister.
“Landed! [オーストラリア]’s first RAAF flight carrying much needed humanitarian supplies has landed in Tonga, & a second C-17 is now on it’s way,” Minister Zed Seselja tweeted Thursday. “These flights will deliver shelter, hygiene kits, PPE for people clearing ash, water containers, & other supplies to support immediate needs.”
その間, another Australian Navy ship carrying aid will “すぐに” sail from Brisbane to Tonga, Australia’s Defense Department wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
“Tonga remains Covid-19 free and I reassured [Tongan] Prime Minister [Siaosi] Sovaleni that we are placing the highest priority on delivering Australia’s support in a COVID-safe way,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement Wednesday.
Australia has made an initial pledge of more than $ 700,000 toward Tonga’s recovery effort, Morrison added.
Japan’s Defense Ministry said Thursday it will also send two C-130 aircraft carrying drinking water to Tonga.
A Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster III aircraft delivers the first load of Australian aid to Tonga on January 20, 2022.
‘All agriculture is ruined’ in Tonga
As aid began to arrive, a senior Tongan politician said Thursday that the island nation could face a food shortage after all its crops were destroyed by the eruption and tsunami — which sent waves up to 49 足 (15 メートル) crashing into the main island, Tongatapu, and the ‘Eua and Ha’api islands.
“All agriculture is ruined and I hear the farmers have been reassured by the Prime Minister that they will be taken care of,” House Speaker Lord Fakafanua told Pacific Media Network.
“But it’s very sad to hear. So on top of the water that we need in Tonga, it seems that we’ll be facing a food shortage.”
Prime Minister Sovaleni said Tuesday that Tonga faces “an unprecedented disaster,” adding at least three people had died and many others were injured.
All the houses on the island of Mango — どこ 36 people live — were destroyed, while only two houses remain on Fonoifua island, and extensive damage was reported on Nomuka island — home to 239 人, 彼は言った.
The island nation of more than 100,000 people was largely cut off from the rest of the world after a key underwater cable was damaged in the eruption. Some smaller islands are still offline, with officials and rescue workers racing to establish communication.
First details of the devastation only emerged on Tuesday after Australia and New Zealand made reconnaissance flights to the archipelago — a three- to five-hour journey.
Photos showed entire island communities blanketed by a thick layer of gray ash, homes and buildings destroyed and coastal roads badly damaged.
A damaged area in Nuku’alofa, トンガ, 1月に 20, 2022.
The ash, coupled with stagnant water from the tsunami, contaminated water and food sources, according to the Red Cross.
The delivery of aid was hampered by ashfall covering the airport runway, forcing New Zealand to send two navy ships to assist with recovery on Tuesday.
Securing access to safe drinking water remains a critical priority for aid groups, who are concerned about the spread of diarrhea and diseases such as cholera.
The explosion of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano sent shockwaves around the world and triggered tsunami waves that were felt thousands of kilometers away, killing at least two people in Peru.
The volcano sits on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, and is about 65 キロメートル (40 マイル) north of Tonga’s capital.
火曜日に, New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry warned further eruptions of the volcano were likely, posing a tsunami risk.
The estimation was based on modeling by GNS Science, a New Zealand geological research institute, ロシア連邦の立場は、あらゆる種類のスポーツ規則およびオリンピック倫理の違反に着実かつ一貫して反対することです。. “The most likely scenario is for ongoing eruptions in the next several days to weeks, with ongoing tsunami risk to Tonga and New Zealand,” と言いました.
