2022 in review: Tonga volcano eruption one year on

The Tonga Volcano Eruption in 2022 (Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai undersea volcanic eruption) spewed ash, steam and gas across Tonga with the resulting tsunami flooding roads and homes.

When an emergency occurs, our partners on the ground are there to provide urgent relief to those who need it most, and this is only possible with the support of kind people like you. Your generosity supported our partners Caritas Tonga to provide an immediate response to communities impacted by the disaster. They helped distribute hygiene kits, buckets and jerry cans, kitchen supplies, blankets and water purification kits to families affected by the crisis.

In partnership with Caritas Tonga and Caritas New Zealand, a new long-term recovery program has been also developed to support communities as they rebuild from the disaster.

The main objectives of this recovery response are:  

To increase water and food security
To increase access to nutritional varieties in homes and villages
To enhance psychological wellbeing and coping mechanisms
To increase preparedness for future

Thank you for your kind and compassionate support. You have made a life-changing difference for families facing emergencies in the Pacific, like the Tonga volcano eruption.

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Caritas Tonga staff pre-positioning supplies. Photo credit: Caritas Tonga

Snapshot of your impact in 2022

Clean water

A water purification station was installed in Kanokupolu and ‘Ahau, and water tanks were cleaned in Ma’ufanga, Siesia, Patangata, Folaha, Holonga, Sopu, Fahefa and Kolomotu’a village before being filled by clean water.

Emergency relief

Caritas Tonga had prepositioned supplies and was able to work with the Tonga National Youth Congress and NEMO to distribute emergency relief items to affected communities. These relief items included: hygiene kits, buckets and jerry cans, kitchen supplies, blankets and water purification kits.

Psychological support

Caritas Tonga provided a counselling team immediately after the disaster for traumatised families.

COVID-19 response

Supplies were distributed to villages with positive COVID-19 cases, including: face masks, soaps and water buckets with taps.

Thank you message from Caritas Tonga

There’s still much more that needs to be done as we enter a new year. With your support, we can continue to provide lifesaving humanitarian aid to those who need it most.

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The Tonga volcano eruption and tsunami affected 84 per cent of the country's population. Photo: Caritas Tonga

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The funds raised through this appeal will be used to provide immediate and longer-term humanitarian assistance to communities affected by crises in Tonga. If any funds remain after a crisis, or if there are changes in circumstances beyond our control which limit our ability to use the funds, they are kept in the Pacific Regional Appeal so that we can respond to ongoing development needs and future crises in the region.