Tonga Tsunami: Desperation Grows as Tonga Remains Disconnected, Leaving People Anxiously Awaiting Information
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano on Saturday, 65km north of Nuku'alofa, Tonga, caused significant damage to the country. Communication and relief efforts have faced challenges due to the disruption of undersea communication cables, leaving thousands of Tongans without internet and phone connections for months [3][4].
The eruption created waves higher than a meter that crashed into Tonga, causing substantial damage along the western coastline of Tongatapu, Tonga's major island [9]. The Ha'atafu Beach Hotel on Tongatapu was "totally erased" and "the entire western coast totally damaged", according to a message on the resort's Facebook page.
As of August 2025, relief and recovery have gained new momentum through coordinated scientific and technical efforts. An international expedition aboard the Australian CSIRO research vessel Investigator began on August 19, 2025. The 54-day voyage includes 40 scientists and technical specialists from Tonga, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the UK, and the US, working closely with Tongan agencies [1][2][3][4][5].
The key aims of this expedition include studying the eruption's impacts and ecosystem recovery, mapping seafloor and sub-seafloor structures, and supporting hazard assessments and recovery planning [1][2]. These efforts aim to enhance Tonga’s preparedness for future volcanic or tsunami events and indirectly support improved communication and relief coordination.
Moreover, this scientific cooperation aids in planning for a more resilient recovery infrastructure, including the restoration and improvement of undersea communication backups to prevent future isolation in the event of cable breaks caused by volcanic activity or natural disasters [1][2].
While the immediate emergency response details are not extensively reported in the latest sources, the Red Cross estimates that up to 80,000 people might have been affected by the tsunami [7]. The dust from the volcano might pollute water sources, with locals recommending drinking bottled water and using masks [2].
The situation in Tonga has also raised concerns about relief efforts potentially causing a spread of Covid-19 in the country, which only recorded its first case in October [6]. Web and telephone communications are extremely limited, and far-flung coastal locations remain cut off [1]. Satellite phones, used by many aid organizations, have poor service due to the effects of the ash cloud [1].
Friends and family of British lady Angela Glover claim she is missing, with posts on social media suggesting she was swept away by the waves [1]. Penalize Tuima, a Tongan living overseas, last spoke with her family on Saturday mid-day when they were leaving to higher ground [1].
New Zealand and Australia have sent out surveillance flights to gather more information about the situation in Tonga [8]. It is predicted that international phones and internet might be down for 2 weeks due to damage caused by the volcanic eruption to a significant submarine cable [2][5].
As of now, there have not been any confirmed deaths in Tonga, but communications are paralyzed, making it difficult to establish the scale of the devastation [2]. More than 10,000 km away, two individuals drowned off a beach in north Peru amidst unusually high waves [8].
In summary, the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano has caused significant damage to Tonga, disrupting communication and complicating relief efforts. However, ongoing international and local collaborations focus on scientific research supporting comprehensive recovery and future hazard mitigation, indirectly supporting improved communication and relief coordination for Tongans both overseas and in Tonga.
- Despite the ongoing recovery efforts, the disruption in communication networks due to the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano's eruption has led to concerns about the spread of Covid-19 in Tonga, given the limited web and telephone communications and the ongoing paralysis.
- In the realm of general-news, politics, and crime-and-justice, the ongoing investigation includes tracing the whereabouts of British lady Angela Glover, who is believed to have been swept away by the volcanic waves in Tonga, as well as addressing the potential concerns of relief efforts contributing to the spread of Covid-19 among the Tongan population.
