tsunami

Sunday will mark one year since the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption. 

Marco Brenna, a volcanologist at Otago University, ​says the volcano is still technically active, but it’s very minor. 

“The volcano is still brewing away, although deep beneath the waves, but a lot of that energy that had been stored has been lost, so it’s unlikely that the volcano will produce such a large eruption again in the next few years, decades even.”

The most recent eruption followed previous patterns to begin with, says Brenna. 

Funds totaling $36,902 NZD were raised at the National Prayer Service held at the Ekalesia Kerisiano Niue Millennium Hall on 26 January and at the Radiophon held at the Broadcasting Corporation of Niue on 14 February and through the many donations made online.

Acting Premier Tongatule who is also the Minister for Social Services expressed his delight at the way the organizations and people within the community of Niue have acted together and responded to the appeal from the Government.

Dr Vulivuli, who has been in Tonga for the last two months assisting with humanitarian efforts, said the Government has recognised the problem and is supporting communal efforts to address it.

The January 15 volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga are continuing to haunt the kingdom's children as aid agencies report psychological distress among children.

"The events of the volcano are still haunting them today, you know with the slightest sound of thunder now in Tonga.

As she and her family scrambled to their car to drive inland, ash blackened the sky.

The world's biggest volcanic eruption in 30 years sent a tsunami around the globe, and the first waves washed across the road as Moala drove to safety at the airport with her terrified husband and two sons.

A volunteer with the Tonga Red Cross, Moala, 39, was soon attending to the cuts other people had suffered as they escaped and giving them psychological support.

She said about 50 of them stayed for two days at the airport until they got the all-clear to go back home.

For days after the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano on 15 January the kingdom was covered in a blanket of volcanic ash and later soaked with acid rain.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns the ash could delay or stunt agricultural harvests.

"With roughly 86 percent of Tongans engaged in agriculture, FAO is extremely concerned about the potential impacts across all agriculture sectors, including fisheries, crops and livestock," the FAO said in a statement shortly after the volcanic eruption and tsunami in January.

At least 35 tourism and hospitality businesses were either partially or totally destroyed by the tsunami and eruption on 15 January, according to Tourism Tonga.

This included a number of businesses in the western district of Tongatapu – the “resort hub” of the main island of Tonga.

Most of the resorts on the island were significantly damaged, with the most popular, Vakaloa Resort, completely wiped off the map without a single structure standing.

The international rugby tournament, which is comprised of all six Unions and Federations, has confirmed it will make a £100,000 donation to the Tonga relief efforts.

On 15 January, a violent eruption occurred at the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’api volcano in Tonga causing a Pacific-wide tsunami, swamping coastlines as far away as Peru, and releasing a cloud of ash billowing more than 20km high.

Many houses in Tonga were completely or partially destroyed, while ashfall and saltwater intrusion continues to threaten people’s health, agriculture, and the local ecosystem.

The Wellington Tonga Leaders' Council sourced two 40ft containers to carry these much needed essentials back to the Kingdom of Tonga.

The General Manager of the Council, Tae Moala-Mafi Tu'inukuafe, said the support towards the Tongan community has been overwhelming.

"We have been supported by the Porirua City Council, Taeaomanino Trust, Whanau Manaaki Kindergarten, and Victoria University, which has been amazing, led by Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban."

ANZ has seen a 30-percent increase in Pacific internet banking customers, which comes after Samoa and Kiribiti's nationwide lockdown, and recent Tonga events.

Banking has been unaffected by recent riots in the Solomon Islands.

ANZ banks in the Pacific are operational, in-line with government requirements with banks in Samoa back open tomorrow.

ANZ Regional Executive for the Pacific, Tessa Price said people can still access money in Tonga from their bank online or via ATM.

According to the government 84 percent of the population has been impacted, with assessments of the widespread destruction still being conducted.

Two Tongans and a British national were killed during the disaster.

RNZ Pacific's Tonga correspondent Kalafi Moala said while the recovery is building up steam a lot of people are still visibly shaken.