Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai Volcano Response
Above: An aerial view of Eua Island, Tonga, after the volcano eruption and tsunami. Photo: Australian Defence Force
On January 15, 2022, the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai undersea volcano in Tonga erupted in a blast that was felt across the entire Pacific. The eruption released an over 20 km high cloud of ash and caused a Pacific-wide tsunami, resulting in casualties and damage as far away as North Asia and the Americas.
In Tonga, four people are reported to have died as a result of the disaster and the impact was felt across the country. Early estimates indicated that 85,000 people across 14,000 households, accounting for 84% of the total population, were affected. Ashfall had significant impacts on shelter, and many homes in coastal areas were also inundated with sea water. Access to drinking water remained a pressing need, along with psychosocial support.
Above: Caritas Tonga staff prepare supplies to assist communities affected by the volcano eruption and tsunami. Photo: Caritas Tonga
Ashfall from the volcano and seawater inundation had an impact on food security and livelihoods over the longer-term, as the agricultural sector sustained an estimated AUD$30 million in damage. The majority of households in Tonga rely at least partly on agriculture for income.
The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai disaster also coincided with Tonga’s first outbreak of COVID-19, with two cases detected during routine testing of port workers in February 2022. The Government of Tonga declared a state of emergency and enforced restrictions, including a rolling lockdown and curfew.
The AHP Response
Five AHP partners worked collectively on the AUD 2 million response under the lead of CARE Australia, in conjunction with local implementing partners.
Partners included Plan International Australia, CAN DO (Church Agencies Network Disaster Operations), Oxfam Australia, Save the Children Australia, Civil Society Forum of Tonga, Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, Live & Learn Tonga, MORDI Tonga Trust, Talitha Project, Tonga Ministry of Education & Training, Tonga National Council of Churches and the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Tonga.
The response aimed to address the immediate humanitarian and early recovery needs of those affected by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami, while at the same time ensuring that the people of Tonga (with a specific focus on the most vulnerable) were well prepared for and more resilient to future disasters and climate change.
The response worked closely with government to build coordination capacity in Tonga on disaster response; provide psychosocial support; repair and increase access to WASH infrastructure in communities affected by the volcano; support livelihoods and resilience activities for women and girls; and bolster community disaster preparedness, including through prepositioning of supplies for future disasters and emergency preparedness activities in schools. The response concluded in November 2024.
An overview video of some of the achievements of the AHP response in Tonga.