All of the $TP52.6 million donated to Tonga by overseas donors would be spent on the recovery process, the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) has announced.
It said nothing had been budgeted from these funds for rebuilding and reconstruction of damaged buildings and houses. That would be another process it said.
NEMO said TP$23.6 million in cash had been deposited in the government’s cyclone Gita’s bank account, with TP$2 million deposited into its normal account.
Cabinet had allocated TP$21.4 for the Cyclone sub-committee to help the recovery process.
It said the money would be spent on specific areas including shelter, education, food and security, and communication. The smallest allocation, TP$200,000, will go to communications with the largest outlay, TP$7.7 million, going to essential services, including electricity maintenance.
About TP$10,000 worth of donations had arrived by military aircraft.
Donors had made offers of more aid, but these had not yet materialised.
In its latest report on the state of Tonga after Cyclone Gita, NEMO said 819 households had been destroyed and 3889 households damaged.
An RNZAF Hercules had flown in 299 agriculture tool kits, 78 boxes of education resources and accessories for Tonga Power Limited.
Three operational evacuation centres were still operating in ‘Eua.
Water quality testing and monitoring showed water was safe for consumption
In Tongatapu 60% of power had been restored.
About 80% of priority schools and evacuation cenres in Tongatapu had been sprayed.
NEMO said crops that could be harvested within four to six months were needed.
Other needs included feed for pigs and other animals and portable saw mills needed for logging of fallen trees for reconstruction and rehabilitation such livestock fencing and house repairs.
Food supplies have been exempted from Customs duty for the next six months.
South Pacific Business Development donated water and food items to more than 300 families in ‘Eua.
Digicel Tonga distributed water and school stationery to Maamaloa Side School, Tonga Side School, St. Francis Catholic School, GPS Nuku’alofa and GPS in the central area of Tongatapu; as well as food items and water to 34 homes of children with special needs.
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