Top officials from Tonga’s Ha’apai group say infrastructure is in urgent need of repair in the islands after Cyclone Tino swept past overnight.
The storm brought winds of up to 180 km/hr and torrential rain but it had weakened and moved out of the area and cyclone warnings had now ceased.
There had been no reported casualties or deaths from the storm but many areas in Ha’apai remained without power today.
Ha’apai MP Veivosa Taka said the main priority was getting power restored.
“First to connect the electrics; second, advice for the people to recover the crops, ( all the crops are damaged); and also to fix the main roads,” he said.
Ha’apai Governor, the Reverend Mohenoa Puloka, said people from seaside settlements had been moved to evacuation centres last night.
“We had used the church halls throughout the villages and now the people have gone back to their homes as it’s calmed down this morning but we have had a very severe night.
In 2014, Cyclone Ian had devastated Ha’apai with one person being killed, dozens injured and thousands left homeless.
The governor said the long rebuild and recovery from that storm had meant the islands fared better when Cyclone Tino hit.
TVNZ 2020