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International relief efforts have intensified in response to the volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga, after its government agreed to receive contactless aid to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. Ships from New Zealand and Australia are expected to arrive by Friday, with a helicopter preparing to airdrop supplies to the Pacific island nation, which has recorded only a single case of Covid during the pandemic.

The United Nations says it is setting up a clinic in the worst affected island group of Ha'apai, and the evacuation of uninhabitable islands has begun. Efforts to clear the runway of Tonga's main airport of volcanic ash have been hampered by more deposits settling amid continuing telecommunications problems.

The New Zealand Defence Minister Peeni Henare told Newsday that Tonga said the most pressing problem was the supply of fresh drinking water, against the back drop of ensuring its covid-zero status be sustained.

鈥淲e鈥檝e managed to negotiate how we might get our ships over to them to be able to deliver contactless service. So we鈥檝e been well engaged with the Tongan government despite disruption to communication lines. We鈥檙e in the fortunate position in New Zealand to have our entire defence force vaccinated. For every one of our personnel deployed they had to return a negative test before they were deployed.鈥�

(Pic: A New Zealand surveillance flight shows heavy ash fall over Nomuka in Tonga; Credit: Reuters)

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