{"id":478787,"date":"2022-01-21T10:10:58","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T10:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?p=69067"},"modified":"2022-01-21T10:10:58","modified_gmt":"2022-01-21T10:10:58","slug":"tongas-king-tupou-vi-offers-hope-to-families-who-lost-relatives-in-deadly-tsunami","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2022\/01\/21\/tongas-king-tupou-vi-offers-hope-to-families-who-lost-relatives-in-deadly-tsunami\/","title":{"rendered":"Tonga\u2019s King Tupou VI offers hope to families who lost relatives in deadly tsunami"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kanivatonga.nz\/\"><em>Kaniva News<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>King Tupou VI has offered sympathy and prayers to all those who lost relatives in last weekend&#8217;s Tongan volcano eruption and tsunami disaster or are still waiting for news about their families.<\/p>\n<p>He said the whole of Tonga was devastated by the tsunami and it wiped out some of the islands, homes, plantations and possessions.<\/p>\n<p>His Majesty\u2019s first speech to address the nation following last week\u2019s volcanic eruption has been delivered in Tongan in a video clip which was shared on Facebook last night as New Zealand and international aid programmes have stepped up.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/podcast.radionz.co.nz\/mnr\/mnr-20220121-0709-tonga_nzdf_ensuring_humanitarian_supplies_can_get_through-128.mp3\"><span class=\"c-play-controller__title\"><strong>LISTEN TO RNZ <\/strong><\/span><span class=\"c-play-controller__title\"><strong><em>MORNING REPORT<\/em>:<\/strong> \u2018I\u2019m 100 percent confident that none of our deployed forces have Covid\u2019 \u2013 NZDF Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour <span class=\"c-play-controller__duration\"><span class=\"hide\">(duration <\/span>8<span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2032<\/span><span class=\"acc-visuallyhidden\">:<\/span>27<span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u2033)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/2022\/01\/21\/safety-at-tonga-port-being-checked-for-arrival-of-more-humanitarian-supplies\/\"><strong>READ MORE:\u00a0<\/strong> Safety at Tonga port being checked for arrival of more humanitarian supplies<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/2022\/01\/20\/tonga-eruption-airport-runway-cleared-of-ash-says-who\/\">Tonga eruption: Airport runway cleared of ash, says WHO official<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/2022\/01\/19\/tonga-eruption-images-appear-to-show-most-of-atata-island-wiped-out\/\">Tonga eruption: Images appear to show most of Atat\u0101 island wiped out<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2022\/1\/18\/scientists-warn-tonga-eruption-may-harm-environment-for-years\">Scientists warn Tonga eruption may damage environment for years<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/2022\/01\/18\/gallery-what-the-nz-air-crew-saw-at-tongas-nomuka-a-choking-carpet-of-volcanic-ash\/\">Gallery: What the NZ air crew saw at Tonga\u2019s Nomuka \u2013 a choking carpet of volcanic ash<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?s=Tonga+volcano+eruption\">Other Asia Pacific Report coverage of Tonga<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The tsunami on Saturday killed three people and injured many. Waves of up to 15 metres flattened houses and caused extensive damage to Tongatapu\u2019s western district.<\/p>\n<p>It wiped out the islands of Mango, Fonoifua and \u2018Atat\u0101.<\/p>\n<p>The king mentioned some biblical texts in his attempt to encourage his people to stand together to rebuild the nation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s start with Jehovah as Jehovah is our refuge\u201d, the king said referring to Psalm 91 of the Bible.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Facing new challenges<br \/>\n<\/strong>He said he could not say whether the natural disaster\u2019s damage itself was less than the damage it caused to the environment and the evacuation of the people \u201cas there was supreme over all in nature\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut it is astonishing, and I am grateful that the death toll was at a minimum,\u201d the king said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69072\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69072\" style=\"width: 680px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-69072 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/King-Tupou-VI-Kaniva-Tonga-680wide.png\" alt=\"Tonga's King Tupou VI \" width=\"680\" height=\"483\" srcset=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/King-Tupou-VI-Kaniva-Tonga-680wide.png 680w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/King-Tupou-VI-Kaniva-Tonga-680wide-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/King-Tupou-VI-Kaniva-Tonga-680wide-100x70.png 100w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/King-Tupou-VI-Kaniva-Tonga-680wide-591x420.png 591w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69072\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">King Tupou VI &#8230; &#8220;I am grateful that the death toll was at a minimum.&#8221; Image: Kaniva News\/File<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWhile we feel and sympathise with immediate families and relatives of the deceased, we have been facing new challenges,\u201d the king said.<\/p>\n<p>He said the Armed Forces\u2019 boats which transported people from the islands were affected by the pumice stones from the volcanic eruptions.<\/p>\n<p>He said the people of \u2018Eua valued their wharf more than their airport. And that was because that was what they mostly used for transportation and trade.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Standing together<\/strong><br \/>\n\u201cIn times of trouble, people stand together so they could withstand the consequences,\u201d the king said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is not who have much money or assistance from overseas but the will of the people<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is the determination to live on top of believing in God and show love, helping each other, have patience and be self-possessed\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In the aftermath of the disaster, we have to all stand up and work,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is our nation and the place where we grew up and it is only you and me who would treasure that\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The king congratulated people from other countries and various partnerships, churches and businesses for helping Tonga.<\/p>\n<p>Aid is coming from Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United States. New Zealand&#8217;s Defence Force continues to coordinate with its partners.<\/p>\n<p><strong>New Zealand aid stepped up<br \/>\n<\/strong><em>HMNZS Aotearoa<\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nzdf.mil.nz\/tonga-response\">berthed today at Nuku\u2019alofa port<\/a> following successful wharf and harbour inspections conducted by Navy divers and hydrographers on board <em>HMNZS Wellington<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Hydrographers were deployed to survey approaches to Nuku\u2019alofa after the <em>Wellington\u2019s<\/em> arrival, with Navy divers also conducting checks on the integrity of wharf infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>Once <em>Aotearoa<\/em> arrived, Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) stores, including bulk water supplies, were being offloaded as a priority and will undergo appropriate covid-19 sanitation by Tongan authorities.<\/p>\n<p><em>Aotearoa<\/em> is also able to provide continuous water supply while it is berthed.<\/p>\n<p><em>HMNZS Canterbury<\/em> was due to depart Devonport Naval Base tonight and is expected to arrive in Tonga early next week.<\/p>\n<p>Supplies on board <em>Canterbury<\/em> include water, tarpaulins and milk powder. Vehicles and several containers of construction equipment are also on board.<\/p>\n<p>Another C130 Hercules flight is also set to depart Auckland on Saturday with more stores on board.<\/p>\n<p><em>Asia Pacific Report collaborates with Kaniva News.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69073\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69073\" style=\"width: 680px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-69073 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Disaster-relief-supplies-NZDF-680.jpg\" alt=\"NZ Defence Force staff stack disaster relief supplies for Tonga\" width=\"680\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Disaster-relief-supplies-NZDF-680.jpg 680w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Disaster-relief-supplies-NZDF-680-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Disaster-relief-supplies-NZDF-680-630x420.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69073\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">NZ Defence Force staff stack and secure pallets of disaster relief supplies to be sent on an RNZAF C-130 Hercules flight to Tonga tonight. Image: NZDF<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"syndicated-attribution\">This post was originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/2022\/01\/21\/tongas-king-tupou-vi-offers-hope-to-families-who-lost-relatives-in-deadly-tsunami\/\">Asia Pacific Report<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kaniva News King Tupou VI has offered sympathy and prayers to all those who lost relatives in last weekend\u2019s Tongan volcano eruption and tsunami disaster or are still waiting for news about their families. He said the whole of Tonga was devastated by the tsunami and it wiped out some of the islands, homes, plantations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":400,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41027,13422,9536,1701,851,33956,5,41115,40864,10,4077,40998,255,40842,33866,41116,12,14,1743,888,40843,11522,37314,40936],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/478787"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/400"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=478787"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/478787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":479741,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/478787\/revisions\/479741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=478787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=478787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=478787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}