Our thoughts are with the people of Tonga
17 January 2022
Our thoughts are with the people of Tonga and our Tongan staff, students and communities.
Mālō ‘etau lava,
'Oku tau manatua, si‘i Tongaa, he taimi faingata’a, ‘oku ne fuesiaa. ‘Ofa pē ke kau ‘a e ‘Eiki, he kakai e fonuaa, ‘uma’ā ‘a e kāinga Tonga, ‘i ‘Aotearoa. ‘Ofa lahi atu.
We remember Tonga at this difficult time. May the people of the island nation be protected and brought to safety, and our thoughts are also with the Tongan community of Aotearoa.
As information slowly emerges from the islands of Tonga, it is becoming clear the impact of the volcanic eruption and tsunami over the weekend has been severe.
Footage posted online shows stark evidence of the devastation brought to people’s homes, churches and villages.
For people who still cannot get in touch with loved ones in Tonga, the uncertainty will be upsetting. Staff affected by this major emergency should let their managers know so we can ensure you have the time, space and support to deal with what has happened.
This afternoon Tonga has called for ‘immediate aid’, particularly for drinking water and food, and governments worldwide, including our own, are responding. Humanitarian agencies are also meeting today to coordinate their responses.
As soon as we have information about how people can support the response, we will share it with staff and students.
To understand the sheer scale of this event, and the forces behind it, I have provided a link to this article by one of our academic experts, Professor Shane Cronin.