One year has passed since the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano disaster last January 15, and on January 13 and 14, a ceremony and exhibition was held in Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga, to commemorate the first anniversary of the event, called by the government.
The ceremony was attended by a large number of Tongan government officials and related organizations, diplomatic corps, international organizations, and local private and non-profit organizations, with Acting Prime Minister Vaipulu (Minister of Justice) as the guest of honor. Reflecting on last year’s volcanic and tsunami disasters and the subsequent reconstruction efforts by the government, private sector, and the general public, he expressed his gratitude for the support of foreign governments, citizens, and international organizations, including Japan, while occasionally choking back tears. He also mentioned the details of the volcano and tsunami damage and the reconstruction efforts that the Tongan government has made so far. He also expressed his wish to continue his efforts for the recovery.
In the exhibition hall, ministries, agencies, and related organizations that have worked hard for post-disaster reconstruction displayed exhibits related to reconstruction, and governments and international organizations that provided assistance displayed panels and other exhibits introducing their activities.
At the Japanese booth, the Embassy of Japan and the JICA Tonga office cooperated to display photos of emergency relief supplies provided by the Air Self-Defense Force’s transport aircraft and the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s transport ship “Osumi,” a collection of hinomaru (Japanese flag) messages from Self-Defense Force personnel, one thousand folded paper cranes, and materials on JICA’s technical study for “Build Back Better (BBB The exhibit also included photos showing the provision of emergency relief supplies by “Build Back Better (BBB). In addition, a video supporting Tonga, “Cheer for Tonga! Popoaki fakalotolahi ki Tonga!”, which was produced by many Japanese supporters, mainly JOCV members who had previously worked in Tonga after the disaster, and released on social networking services, was shown. Cheer for Tonga! which was created by Tongan supporters and released on social networking sites, was shown with the permission of the creators.
After the ceremony, Acting Prime Minister Weipul, Foreign Minister Utoikamanu, Japanese Ambassador Kensaku Munenaga, and many others visited the Japanese booth to deepen their understanding of the support from Japan.
One year after the disaster, the city has regained its calm. Volcanic ash is no longer visible from the city, and the rocks and broken concrete embankments along the coast of Nuku’alofa have been repaired. Water and electricity in the city have returned to normal operation, and the use of rainwater from rainwater tanks in each house has resumed. Crop production, which was severely damaged for a time, has also returned to normal. The international line of submarine cables that caused the communication breakdown was restored in late February of last year, one and a half months after the disaster, and the restoration of submarine cables for domestic communication, whose recovery was delayed, is reportedly scheduled to be completed in April or May of this year.
However, the rebuilding of the lives of those who were directly affected by the tsunami, such as those who lost their homes on remote islands and coastal areas, has yet to begin. At the end of last year, the relocation villages and homes for the evacuees on Atata and Mango Islands were finally completed, and the relocation of the residents who had been sheltering in churches, community halls, and homes of relatives on Tongatapu Island has begun. This housing and community support will continue in the future, and employment at the relocated sites is also a challenge. For fishermen whose boats were washed away by the tsunami, the government and private sectors are providing replacement boats, but this is still partial.
The tsunami caused damage to public infrastructure on Tongatapu Island as well as Eua Island and Ha’apai Islands, which are still in the process of being restored. The government is gradually rehabilitating damaged seawalls, landing areas, roads, and public service facilities with assistance from overseas, but the scope of rehabilitation is limited due to funding constraints. The government is aiming to build more disaster-resistant facilities, but foreign assistance is essential to achieve this goal.
In addition, most of the tourist facilities on remote islands and along the coast that were almost completely destroyed are still in rubble, and it will take time for their owners to rebuild them. Post-disaster assistance for the people’s livelihood and the promotion of the country’s industries, including agriculture and fisheries, are also major issues.
JICA will continue to support Tonga’s recovery efforts.
© Source JICA