Tonga Humanitarian Background

Comments / Details

Severe droughts have occurred in 2016 due to the El Nino Weather Phenomenon

Severe earthquakes hit Tonga in 2009 (8.1 magnitude), in 2013 (7.4 magnitude) and 2014 (7.1 magnitude) with some damage to the infrastructure and community

No specific epidemics, though Tonga is at risk from emerging and re-emerging communicable diseases, like TB, SARS, Zika and avian influenza (HPAI H5N1)

Recently Tonga has experienced heat stress due to increased temperature

No specific flooding, though low-lying areas are subject to severe ponding of water when large rainfall occurs generally during wet season which affects the population, agriculture and transport sectors and poses health risks

As for all Pacific Islands countries, pests and disease pose a huge danger to Tonga’s environment.

N/a

There is an active volcano on the island of Niuafo’ou. The last major eruption was in 1946, when the island was completely evacuated. 

Many low-lying areas have a high exposure to inundation. The most severe inundation occurred during Cyclone Isaac in 1982 where a storm surge of about 1.6m acted on top of a high spring tide Tsunami risk in Tonga is rated as “extreme”.  Tonga lies about 200km west of the Tonga Trench fault zone, where the Pacific Plate sub ducts beneath the Australian Plate. 

Significant fire events in countryside are related to droughts / dry season

There is an increasing trend in the occurrences of tropical cyclones in Tonga on a decadal basis. . In January 2014, Tropical Cyclone Ian tracked between Fiji and Tonga for several days before intensifying to a Category 5 system with winds over 200 kilometres per hour.

The 2006 Nuku’alofa riots started on 16 November, in the Tongan capital to protest against the slow progress democratization in the country. A mixed crowd of democracy advocates took to the streets in protest. Some people in the crowd starting tipping over cars then progressed to looting and burning buildings. The state of emergency was maintained until August 2008 due to continued state of danger in central Nuku’alofa.

Nov - Apr

 Paved and sealed road are generally OK to go through the wet season. Nevertheless, rains on the main roads could make driving a hazard. During the wet season, floods, flash floods and landslides may happen, resulting in roads or crossroads closures, particularly in coastal areas and low-lying areas of the hilly islands.

Nov - Apr

The secondary roads network is often not in a perfect condition and may be quickly affected by rainfalls, making it impracticable overnight. During the wet season, floods, flash floods and landslides may happen, resulting in roads or crossroads closures, particularly in coastal areas and low-lying areas of the hilly islands.

N/A

No Rail Transport available

Nov - Apr

Generally reliable all over the year. Heavy rain falls / cyclones may impact the air transport operations, resulting in delays, flights cancellations and temporary airports/airstrips closures. The secondary airstrips may be impracticable during the wet seasons.

Nov - Apr

Inter-island waterways transport may be affected during the wet / cyclonic seasons due to effects of high winds and rough seas.

Nov - Apr

 During the wet / cyclonic seasons, days of torrential rain may flood roads, cut power and water supplies, closing accesses to transport and storage infrastructures, impacting handling / packaging operations and making access of manpower problematic.

Nov-Apr

As above