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Australia has already sent a military transport plane to Tonga
Photo: HANDOUT/AFP
After the eruption of the submarine volcano Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai, the first relief flights from Australia and New Zealand have arrived in Tonga.
The runway had previously been cleared of a thick layer of ash.
Saturday's eruption was one of the heaviest in decades and was still measurable in far-off Alaska.
Tonga's Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni spoke of an "unprecedented catastrophe".
On some remote islands almost all houses were destroyed.
According to the UN, more than 80 percent of the 100,000 inhabitants of the archipelago with 170 islands are affected by the accident.
At least three people were killed.
Fear of Corona by helpers
In addition to urgently needed drinking water, temporary accommodation, generators, hygiene kits and communication equipment are on board the Hercules machine, said New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta.
In the Polynesian island kingdom, where there have been almost no corona cases so far, there is great concern that foreign helpers could bring the virus in.
Tonga closed its borders in March 2020 and has since largely isolated itself from the outside world.
In order not to endanger the population, there should be no direct contact between the occupants of the machine and the people of Tonga.
»The delivery of relief supplies is contactless.
The aircraft is expected to remain grounded for around 90 minutes before returning to New Zealand," said New Zealand Defense Minister Peeni Henare.
Help also by sea
Australia sent a military transport plane to be followed by another carrying humanitarian aid.
Help is also on the way by sea: the New Zealand Navy ships HMNZS Wellington and HMNZS Aotearoa are expected to arrive in Tongan waters on Friday.
There are water supplies on board and a desalination plant with a capacity of 70,000 liters per day.
In addition, surveyors and divers from the Navy are there to examine shipping routes after the tsunami.
The Australian military support ship "HMAS Adelaide" is also ready in Brisbane.
Canberra "hopes and intends" for the ship to depart on Friday, an Australian official said.
The "Adelaide" is said to carry "water filter equipment and additional humanitarian supplies" as well as two helicopters.
Japan also pledged emergency aid.
The Asian country's defense minister, Nobuo Kishi, said his ministry would "do whatever we can for the people of Tonga affected by the disaster."
China has also announced that it intends to send relief supplies.
The submarine volcano threw a cloud of ash and gas kilometers high on Saturday.
According to experts, it was one of the world's worst outbreaks in decades.
Tsunami waves reached Alaska, Japan and South America, among others.
bbr/dpa/AP/AFP
