New Zealand support flight en route to Tongara, images show disaster | Volcanic News
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Australia is also sending a relief flight as the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption accelerates as recovery efforts accelerate.
The first flight of supplies was on its way to Tongara, after clearing ash and debris on the runway at the main airport on the Pacific island since last weekend’s volcanic eruption and devastating tsunami.
As in many other parts of the country, the Nuku’alofa track was covered in ash after the eruption. Southern Ha’apai people, which sent a submarine volcano, giant ash plumes, volcanic debris and smoke into the air.
The plane, a New Zealand Hercules C-130 air force transport plane, took off from Auckland at noon (23:00 GMT) for a four-hour flight, the country’s foreign and defense ministries reported on Thursday.
“The plane is carrying humanitarian aid and disaster relief supplies, including water containers, temporary shelter kits, generators, hygiene and family kits and communications equipment,” said Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta.
The plane is expected to be on the ground for about 90 minutes before returning to New Zealand, in view of concerns about the coronavirus. Tonga COVID-19 is one of the few countries in the world that is free and has strict border controls.
Australian media have also reported that an Australian aid flight has also taken off in Tongara.
It was the track clean up late wednesday.
The eruption also cut off Tonga’s communications with the outside world, as damage assessments were based on New Zealand and Australian Air Force air surveillance flights. The first images of the magnitude of the devastation in the country appeared on Wednesday.
Photos shared on social media by the Consulate of the Kingdom of Tonga showed parts of the capital Nuku’alofa, littered with rubble and covered with thick brown ash.
Other images showed the washing of the ashes and the removal of debris from the streets.
The United Nations and aid agencies have stressed the need to bring fresh water to the islands after the tsunami’s salt water contaminated their supply.
A New Zealand navy ship carrying 250,000 liters of fresh water and a salt plant with a capacity of 70,000 liters of fresh water a day will arrive on Friday while Australian HMAS Adelaide is being loaded with supplies and equipment. Brisbane.
Photos: Nuku’alofa, The “city” of The Kingdom. #Tonga, covered with volcanic ash. ⁇ #Tonga pic.twitter.com/seWqP3z4e0
– Consulate of the Kingdom of Tonga (@ConsulateKoT) January 19, 2022
The eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai on Saturday caused a tsunami in several parts of Tonga, which is spread over about 100 islands, and caused warnings in the Pacific countries.
It also broke Tonga’s submarine communications cable, taking the country away from the rest of the world.
Limited communications have now been established in Nuku-alofa, but the cable is expected to take at least four weeks.
Since 1991, when Pinatubo exploded in the Philippines, it has been the most cataclysmic eruption of a volcano. Three people have been confirmed dead.
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