TONGA On 15 January Tonga’s undersea volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted in a massive explosion, sending ash plumes 30 kilometres into the sky and triggering a series of tsunamis across the archipelago. The eruption, thought to be one of the world’s largest in recent decades, occurred about 65 kilometres north of Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa, and cut communications to the country for several days. Wave impacts were felt in Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the entire western seaboard of the American continents, from Alaska to Chile. Tonga’s low-lying Ha’apai islands were among the worst affected parts of the country. Despite the severity of the disaster, the official death toll was just three — two Tongan nationals and a British woman. Authorities declared a state of emergency and, after reconnaissance and surveys, estimated that 84% of Tonga’s total population of 106,000 was affected to some degree. By the end of January 2022, authorities had identified 293 houses damaged with 1525 people displaced. As Operation Tonga Assist 2022 ramped up, Australian sailors, soldiers and aviators – and counterparts from around the world – were quick and eager to respond.
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CONTACT Air Land & Sea – Issue 73 – March 2022
