First good news since the volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga: From today, Thursday, the first aid flights could land in the Pacific country. The runway at the airport on the main island of Tongatapu has been cleared again, said UN crisis coordinator Jonathan Veitch.
Aid ships from New Zealand are expected to arrive on Friday. International communications have also been partially restored. The full extent of the devastation was also unclear on Wednesday. The government, visibly overwhelmed by the situation, spoke of an “unprecedented catastrophe”.
She confirmed UN information that a wave up to 15 meters high hit several islands, including the main island of Tongatapu. On some remote islands almost all houses were destroyed. At least three people were killed. The volcanic ash and the salt water from the tsunami affect the water supply, and the population urgently needs drinking water and food. Katie Greenwood of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has already warned of the “growing threat of cholera and diarrhea”.
Relief flights were initially unable to land in Tonga because the airport runway on the main island of Tongatapu was covered with a layer of ash up to ten centimeters high.