AMN/ WEB DESK
Three days after the underwater volcanic eruption in the Pacific island nation of Tonga early indications of the scale of the crisis have emerged through images released by US-based Maxar.
The images show the impact of the large eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano as well as the damage caused by the tsunami in the nearby Tongan capital of Nuku’alofa The images also clearly show that most of the volcanic islands that used to be above water was destroyed by the eruption and volcanic debris can be seen floating in the ocean.
Curtis Tu’ihalangingie, Tonga’s deputy head of mission in Australia, said that raising fears of more deaths and injuries after Alarming images taken by New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) reconnaissance flights showed an entire village destroyed on Mango island and numerous buildings missing on nearby Atata island.
Also, Communications with the island nation are limited because the single underwater fiber-optic cable that connects Tonga to the rest of the world was likely damaged in the eruption. The company that owns the cable said repairs could take weeks.
However, Today New Zealand foreign affairs minister Nanaia Mahuta said on current crisis that a C-130 Hercules aircraft was on standby to fly to Tonga to deliver humanitarian aid including collapsible water containers, generators, and hygiene kits. “However images show ashfall on the Nuku’alofa airport runway that must be cleared before (the plane) can land.