ROTO around the world
Ian Hansen, RotaConsult
Most islands are low lying and exposed to tsunami
On January 15, 2022 a volcanic eruption and tsunami ripped through the South Pacific country of Tonga, generating a plume of ash that rose >50km (31mi) and >500km (300 mi) in diameter. The volcanic blast was reportedly heard in Alaska, nearly 9,000km (6,000mi) away. It caused catastrophic damage in Tonga, with waves between 1.2m -5m (4’ -10’) hitting the island nation. Communities, roads, and airports were blanketed in thick ash, and flood waters damaged low lying infrastructure, homes, and schools. Sadly, four people lost their lives. The damage caused by the volcanic eruption, mostly from ashfall, had a larger impact than the tsunami. Ports and wharfs were mostly damaged by the tsunami. Around 80 percent of damage to agriculture, roads, power, and water infrastructure has been attributed to ashfall. Major undersea communication cables were cut, limiting communications to Tonga for the initial week. The eruption 38 ROTOWORLD® ISSUE 2 • 2022
cut Tonga’s single international fiber-optic cable, limiting communications to the rest of the world, until it was repaired after 5 weeks. Tonga’s population is spread across 36 islands, however 70% live on the main island of Tongatapu. An estimated 85,000
“One of the biggest challenges for the business was the ability to provide drinking water for their manufacturing team.” — Jyotsna Chauhan
