I have received a lot of inquiries on Cyclone Gita and the impact on Vava'u. Because Vava'u is 310KM North of the main island of Tongatapu we were not affected by Cyclone Gita very much. A little bit of wind and some rain on Monday night but nothing of significance.
The main is of Tongatapu however was hit head on by a category 5 cyclone deemed to be the worst storm to hit Tonga in recorded history. The damage is extensive and people from all over the world is rallying to help in the aftermath of the storm.
Digicel (one of the cell phone and internet providers) has given everyone in the country $20 of cell phone time so that people can call loved ones during this time. As a matter of fact Barry is on the phone with his mother right now. I have read that New Zealand and Australia are ready to fly to in with aide and supplies but they need to wait for the runway at the airport to be cleared and for basic services to be restored.
I don't know the official count but I have read that there have been 3 serious injuries and 30 minor injuries reported as of 7am this morning. Our hopes and hearts go out to all the people of Tonga in this difficult time.
Here are some pictures that I got from friends on Facebook about the damage in Tongatapu.
If you look closely you will see that most of the buildings that were damaged are made out of wood. So you plan on coming to Tonga and you want to rent a house make sure it is built out of cinder block or build a house here please make sure it is rated for a Category 5 cyclone.
As always I am here to answer any questions that you may have.
Until next time have a great sun shiny day!
Char
Been in touch with my friend regarding his wife in Tongatapu. They were lucky - their house was undamaged. No water or electric, but they have rain water and canned goods.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the pics hurts. You realize how little some of the Tongans have and how important even that little bit is to them.