Volcano eruption

A tsunami has hit Tonga’s largest island Tongatapu, as a result, Digicel customers in the Kingdom of Tonga have experienced disruption in their mobile service. Digicel’s domestic mobile towers are in operation across Tongatapu.

At a press conference a short time ago, Counties Manukau DHB chief medical officer Dr Peter Watson outlined the need for dressings and temporary skin grafts.

An additional order has been placed with American skin banks to cope with the demands on New Zealand's burn units.

Twenty-two patients remained on airway support, Dr Watson said.

"We anticipate we will require an additional 1.2 million square centimetres of skin for the ongoing needs of the patient."

That equates to 120 square metres of skin.

The Tinakula volcano in the country's easternmost Temotu Province began erupting on Saturday spewing ash over the Reef Islands in the Santa Cruz group.

A volunteer disaster worker in the provincial capital Lata, Jones Harara, said the volcano continued to spew ash and lava.

Mr Harara said people in Lata could hear the eruptions 20 kilometres away.

He said those directly affected by the ashfall were in urgent need of relief support.

The Tinakula volcano in the Santa Cruz islands began erupting on Saturday.

The national broadcaster SIBC reported people in the country's easternmost Temotu province were being told to avoid ashfall from the volcano by closing their doors and windows

The director of the National Disaster Management Office Loti Yates said they should breathe into a mask or handkerchief and wear protective clothing and glasses while they're outside.

Mr Yates said the effects of the ash on nearby communities and flights into the province were the main concerns.

The government has declared a state of emergency and residents are being moved from a dense danger zone to safer grounds.

Vanuatu Red Cross Disaster Risk Reduction coordinator, Agustine Karae, told Loop Vanuatu that about 3500 to 4000 people have been moved to safer grounds and the numbers are expected to increase.

Karae says residents have been advised to take precautions as there is the danger of the volcano further erupting to reach a level 5.