Hurricane-Damaged Tonga
pp. 25-143 · Read in the full issue
Picks Up The Pieces
The number of homeless and the amount of damage done n the worst hurricane ever to hit the northern groups of Tonga vas still being ascertained in early April.
JT early figures seem to indicate that the hurricane, which devastated Vavau and Haapai ing March 15-17, made more n 8,000 Tongans homeless, wiped a majority of the food and ext crops in the northern groups, . killed at least two people, both ;hem in Vavau. i Vavau alone (which has a ulation of 14,000 in 37 villages) per cent, of the buildings were lolished, and many of the render were damaged, including big hospital, which was partly oofed. he Postmaster at Vavau esti- ;ed there was more than £1 iion worth of damage done to rernment property alone. The toms shed and everything in it blown into the harbour, and mg other buildings lost were 30 mtly completed cottages for Govm «L£ ffiCerS> 6aCh ° f WhiCh had a hmricane er6d fUU ° f hurricane.
Vavau Worst Hit mong the losses in Haapai was £lO,OOO Government launch. malofa on the southern island of igatapu, was battened down but blow there was not SeriOUS.
Vavau, the worst hit, is entirely dependent on its copra and banana exports and on its food gardens, There was extensive damage to schools and churches, and what schools were left were closed to pro vide sleeping accommodation for the homeless.
One of the few big buildings to survive in Neiafu, Vavau, was a large new £200,000 college dorm itory building, built of timber by a Sydney man, which sheltered more than 200 girls and many other people from the village during the hurricane.
Appeals for help were launched in New Zealand, Fiji and Australia, Fiji sent a reconstruction team of 20 men with equipment to help re build houses and the Fiji Red Cross despatched clothing and food,
Help From Everywhere
The Methodist Church in Aus cane relief, which met with a quick response.
The New Zealand Government made offers of help of food and technical assistance, Mrs. F. Matheson, wife of D .
(Continued on p. 141)
Mr. Roger Probert, quartermaster of the Fiji branch of the British Red Cross Society, attaches stickers to the first consignment of food and clothing to leave Fiji for Tonga hurricane victims. Fiji business firms co-operated with the packing and shipment.
Photo: Rob Wright.
Matheson, of Vavau, reported to PIM in late March that although the beauty of Vavau had gone, its spirit had not. Already shelters were up and Tongans were planting whatever they could to help ward off the difficult time ahead.
“At the moment there is only three weeks’ supply of food here,” she said. “But everybody is grateful for being alive. Should anybody outside want to help, the best aid ivould be milk powder or the money to buy it, for the coming months ivill be especially hard on babies, poung children, the aged and the sick.”
At the height of the storm, 143 Fongans sheltered in the Matheson oome, which was partly wrecked. \ll one night shifts of men braced ;he walls by leaning against them.