http://www.tongadailynews.to/?p=2784
Digicel makes contact possible as teams assess full impact
of Cyclone Ian
Nuku’alofa (TDN/Radio Australia): Digicel Tonga is providing all those with Digicel mobile phones on Tongatapu with $3
credits while giving those in Ha’apai $5 credits so that they can start communicating as mobile contacts through their
network was restored earlier today.
The company booked three flights to take members of the media and their own team to
Ha’apai following the devastation from Cyclone Ian over the weekend.
Announcements were made over the airwaves at noon today of the company’s gift to the
members of the public, after 48 hours of no-contact between the two islands.
Disaster management officials confirmed this afternoon that they have made contact with
residents on more than twenty low-lying islands affected by Cyclone Ian.
Contact with small northern islands of the Ha’apai group, home to about 8,000 people, was
lost when the category five storm packing winds of more than 200 kilometres per hour
swept through the area over the weekend.
There’s been extensive damage to the islands and at least one person was killed.
Communication and power is still limited in some areas and there was concern for the wellbeing of residents on low-lying islands.
The director of Tonga’s Disaster Management Team, Leveni Aho, says it appears the smaller
islands were lucky to escape serious damage.
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“The path of the cyclone was very narrow indeed, so it hit some islands, and yet the
neighbourhood about 40 to 50 kilometres away was almost untouched,” he said.
Mr Aho, who is co-ordinating the emergency response to the disaster, says he’s surprised
there are not more casualties.
“We haven’t had any further reports of any deaths, which is very good indeed, and looking
at the amount of devastation it was a miracle that not more than one person has a loss of
life.”
He says residents on some of the low-lying islands are being moved to higher ground after a
sea surge left flooded some of their homes.
Mr Aho and his team briefed the media at noon today on the situation on the ground.
Radio and Television Tonga reporter on the ground Pierre Ole told Tonga Daily News that
the situation on the ground needs to be catered for urgently.
“People are in need and the faster help gets to them the better,” he said.
“Rooftops have been blown off some houses while other houses have been flattened.
Power posts and lines have been dropped to the ground.
“Farms have been destroyed and we are lucky that one death only has been recorded.
Relief underwayThe United Nations says it is working with Tongan disaster officials to help
coordinate the relief effort for islands affected by the cyclone.
Mr Sune Gudnitz from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs based in
Suva says once more details become available about the true extent of the damage the
United Nations will be able to provide more assistance.
“Logistically in the Pacific, by nature as you are aware it is always a challenge to get around,”
he said.
“But I think we are fortunate in this sense that the airport, the main airstrip in Ha’apai has
only minimal damage, so it is possible to land in a plane which is always a good start.
“The moment we have any clarity on the need from the ground, we can mobilise through
the Pacific Humanitarian team, sectorial expertise to go in and support the government in
providing shelter, working with partners on the ground.”
Two Tongan navy patrol boats have gone to the northern and southern Ha’apai islands to
survey immediate damage, with one boat delivering emergency shelter supplies and road
clearing equipment.
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A chartered flight flew health, power, telecommunication and Red Cross personnel to
Ha’apai on Sunday afternoon.
New Zealand has pledged $NZ50,000, or $US42,000, for immediate response efforts and
sent in the air force to assist in assessing damage
The New Zealand Air Force Orion is too large to land on the airstrip in Ha’apai, but has
conducted an initial aerial surveillance of the affected areas providing important
information for the relief effort.
UN OCHA says other non-government organisations such as Caritas and Oxfam are
preparing to send response support staff.
Technicians are working to fix internet and mobile phone services.
Cyclone Ian was packing winds of close to 300 kilometres per hour as it smashed into the
northern Tongan islands early Saturday local time.
It briefly weakened to a category four system before building up again to category five as it
tracked south-southeast, bringing gale winds to the capital, Nuku’alofa.
However Tongan authorities say Nuku’alofa, on the main Tongatapu islands in the south, as
well as the central Vava’u island group, did not sustain as much damage as expected.
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