Michelle Nichols and Kirsty Needham by Praveen Menon

(Reuters) – The first humanitarian aid plane arrived in Tonga Thursday. This was five days after the nation of South Pacific islands had been devastated by a tsunami and volcanic eruption that decimated many communities.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules flew into Tonga’s Fua’amotu International Airport after clearing a layer of volcanic ash from the runway.

A second Australian Globemaster, a military transport plane for the army, also arrived.

Peter Dutton, Australian Defence Minister, stated that C-17A was possible today because Tongan authorities worked hard to eliminate a thick volcanic ash layer from the runway.

Dutton stated that the plane was fully loaded with water desalination equipment and shelter. He also mentioned that there were sweepers to remove any ash from airport. On Thursday, a second Australian plane was scheduled to take off.

Nanaia Mahuta from the Foreign Ministry stated that the New Zealand plane was transporting humanitarian aid, disaster relief supplies and kits including family kits and kits for temporary shelters.

Tonga was free from coronavirus thanks to contactless delivery by the two aircraft.

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai https://tmsnrt.rs/3qCTwKY volcano erupted with a deafening explosion https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tongans-deafened-by-volcanic-blast-they-fled-safety-2022-01-20 on Saturday, sending tsunami waves rolling across the archipelago that killed at least three people and destroyed villages, resorts and many buildings and knocked out communications for the nation of about 105,000 people.

Rachael Moore was Australia’s high-commissar to Tonga. She said that the property loss had been “catastrophic”.

Moore stated on Australian radio that there’s a “moonscape” where former resorts were located and homes once stood.

Telephone links between Tonga and the outside world were reconnected https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tonga-likely-spend-month-without-internet-cable-2022-01-19 late on Wednesday, though restoring full internet services was likely to take a month or more, according to the owner of the archipelago’s sole subsea communications cable.

Marian Kupu, a journalist from Nuku’alofa said that Tongans are cleaning up the debris from the volcano eruption, but they fear running out of water.

Kupu explained that although each house has its own tank of water, most are full of dust making it unsafe for consumption.

‘WEAR MASKS’

It was also reported that the first of two New Zealand Navy ships arrived in New Zealand on Thursday. In preparation of Friday’s arrival of the second aid ship, which will carry 250,000 litres water and desalination equipment capable of producing 70,000 litres per day, it will inspect shipping routes and approaches to Tonga’s port.

A ship from Australia is expected to sail Friday.

Tongans living abroad called their family members back to check that they are safe.

Fatafehi Fakafanua (the speaker of Tonga’s legislative assembly), said that it was very comforting to hear from them after he had made contact with his family.

They’re fine. “They are fine.

The United Nations said that about 84,000 people – more than 80% of the population – has been badly affected by the disaster with safe water being “the biggest life‑saving issue”.

Hunga Tonga Ha’apai volcanic eruption was located approximately 40 miles (65km), from Tongan capital. The blast could be heard 2300km (1,400 mile) in New Zealand.

Waves up to 54.9 feet high ripped through the outer Ha’apai group of islands, decimating all homes on Mango and Tongatapu’s western coast. 56 houses were also severely or completely destroyed.

Accounts of miraculous escapes are emerging including that of a 57-year-old being hailed as a “real life Aquaman https://www.reuters.com/world/tongan-real-life-aquaman-survives-27-hour-swim-after-tsunami-2022-01-20” after recounting how he had to swim at sea for about 27 hours after being swept away by the tsunami.