As Tonga struggles to recover from Cyclone Gita, authorities are looking for somewhere to host the next Parliamentary sessions from March 1 to March 15.
Parliament needs a place to meet so MPs can process bills and laws that are required for the government’s 2018-2019 budget.
A Parliamentary spokesperson said the Speaker’s office was working urgently to decide on a suitable venue before informing all Members of Parliament.
Tonga’s parliament house, which is more than a century old, was flattened by tropical cyclone Gita.
Tonga has submitted a proposal to the Chinese government to fund a new Parliament House.
The Chinese Ambassador to Tonga Wang Baodong was welcomed at the Legislative Assembly in June 2017.
It was not immediately clear whether Tongan and Chinese authorities have taken another look at the proposal after the Parliament was levelled on Monday or not.
Cyclone Gita, a category four storm, struck Tonga’s main island Tongatapu and its nearby island ‘Eua on Monday, causing widespread damage.
Electricity lines were downed, roofs were torn off houses by the high winds and crops were destroyed.
Tongan Minister Poasi Tei told reporters in Nuku’alofa 119 homes were completely destroyed and 1,131 with minor damages while 4,500 people were at the 108 evacuation centres in Tongatapu.
Tonga Power workers have restored power in some areas in Tongatapu .
Tonga Water Board announced that water supply had been restored to almost all areas of Nuku’alofa.
In earlier reports residents are finding it more difficult to cope with the aftermath because of lack of power which has also affected water supplies, communication and petrol stations.
Some people in Houmakelikao went to the Minister of Police’s residence and charged their mobile phones using electric generated from the Minster’s electric power generator.
The town of Houma in Tongatapu lost its water supply after their two-tank water supplier was destroyed by Gita.
The town’s residents took to Facebook to ask their community members overseas to help donate for a new water supplier.
Photo caption: What remains of the Tonga Parliament after it was destroyed by Cyclone Gita