After tsunami waves from the small island of Tonga erupted around the world, from New Zealand to Peru, there is growing concern about the fate of the island's Pacific Islanders, which are less than 65 kilometers from the epicenter.
The submarine cable that connects Tongatpo Island, the largest and most populous island in the island nation to the Internet, was cut off due to the earthquake and one hundred thousand residents of the country were left cut off from any form of communication.
At this point it is not clear how much damage was done to the island and the capital city of Nuku'alofa, but from videos posted on social media, it appears in the barter that large waves hit the capital's surroundings and caused flooding and damage.
The disconnect from the media and the uncertainty is well felt among the 30,000 Tonga citizens living in Australia.
Moussa Sitopa, a Tonga citizen living in Queensland, Australia, told local media he tried to warn his family, including his four-year-old son, to reach a high point before the waves hit their residence "but it was too late, they could not hear me and the media was cut off".
Other residents recounted conversations with relatives during the outbreak.
"I was talking to my sister and suddenly we heard a huge explosion. Then we heard a noise that sounded like hail, but these were pieces of rock and ash that fell on the island after the eruption," says Isabel Punch, a Tonga citizen living in Sydney.
The fear for the fate of the island's residents is especially great in light of its topography, which is flat with no hills or higher areas where residents can find refuge.
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