Page 48 - Outer Islands News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Out. several countries are rushing aid to tonga, including desperately needed water. while international phone service knocked out by the eruption slowly coming back online. blake essex is monitoring he joins me from tokimyo. blake, it's day six since the eruption. talk us through where things stand in that recovery effort. >> reporter: well, you know, isa, one of the big things to develop today is the main communication lines for the island nation, which are still a few weeks away from being restored, there is some good news on that front. international call service has been restored for tong...

New zealand has already pledged just over $2 million us dollars to the devastated nation. we can now speak to nanaia mahuta, foreign minister for new zealand. thank you forjoining us. how would you describe the situation right now when it comes to getting aid to tonga? it's a challenge because of covid, however close friends and neighbours are quickly understanding the catastrophic impact of the eruption on the outer islands, so we are doing as much as we can. we are moving swiftly to support the tongan government. truth? moving swiftly to support the tongan government.- moving swiftly to supp...

Abroad, the agonising wait for news is finally over. it's a relief to finally hear their voices and to finally know how they are back home. my dad had told me that they're fine, no major damages to our homes. so, at the moment, i've got family over in the outer islands of ha'apai. i have heard from them, and they're doing 0k. who i haven't heard from is my father. i'm sure he's out there working hard, doing what he does. we've also learned of a remarkable survival story. this man says he was swept off a small island by the tsunami and was in the water for more than 24 hours before making it to...

Food and medicines. the queen has said she is "shocked and saddened" by the destruction to the pacific nation, which is part of the commonwealth. rupert wingfield—hayes reports. for the first time since last saturday's huge eruption, we are finally getting to see what has happened to tonga's main island. along the coast, the damage from the tsunami looks extensive, with many buildings destroyed. in tonga's capital, nuku'alofa, there is a lot of volcanic ash but the buildings are intact and the clean—up has begun. telephone services are also back and that means for tongans living abroad, th...

And to finally know how they are back home. my dad had told me that they're fine, no major damages to our homes. so, at the moment, i've got family over in the outer islands of ha'apai. i have heard from them, and they're doing 0k. who i haven't heard from is my father. i'm sure he's out there working hard, doing what he does. we've also learned of a remarkable survival story. this man says he was swept off a small island by the tsunami and was in the water for more than 2a hours before making it to land. help is now arriving. this is an australian c17 transport plane on final approach to tong...