Tonga Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami
Glenside Lions have donated $5,000 in February to the Tonga disaster in response to the LCIF appeal.
On the 15th of January, a volcano in the South Pacific Ocean erupted, sending ash into the upper atmosphere, and unleashing a devastating tsunami that destroyed homes on Tonga’s nearby islands.
Across Tongatapu 90% of power has been restored as work continues for full restoration. Efforts continue with the clearing of ash debris and coordinating relief distribution to affected communities. NEMO and humanitarian partners have established 16 water stations areas around Tongatapu. The areas of Popua, Patangata, Kanokupolu, and Ahau have been sprayed for vector control and decontamination and the ground water has been chlorinated for safety. 293 houses have been damaged or affected by the volcanic eruption and tsunami according to government figures; the majority in Tongatapu. 1,525 people are still displaced according to initial findings by IOM (International Organisation for Migration).
The volcano, named Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha‘apai, sent a plume of ash soaring into the upper atmosphere and triggered a tsunami that destroyed homes on Tonga’s nearby islands. Reverberations from the eruption circled the globe multiple times. And the shock waves that rippled through the atmosphere and oceans are unlike anything seen in the modern scientific era.