80% power restored in Tonga's capital after volcanic eruptions

Nuku'alofa, Jan 18 (IANS) Around 80 per cent of power has been restored in Tonga's capital city of Nuku'alofa, but internet connections remain disrupted after the violent volcanic eruption on January 14-15.

The island nation is sending naval boats to outlying islands to assess the damage from the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano and the consequent tsunami over the weekend, Radio New Zealand reported on Monday.

No casualties were reported on Tonga's main island of Tongatapu, which is covered by ashes, with a number of houses damaged, while significant damage was reported along the western coast of Tongatapu, including many resorts and the waterfront of the capital, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying.

The capital is in need of water and water storage bladders, as well as food and medical supplies, it added.

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, about 65 km north of Nuku'alofa, is part of the highly active Tonga-Kermadec Islands volcanic arc, a subduction zone extending from New Zealand north-northeast to Fiji.

Over the past decades, the volcano has erupted several times.