Dozens of Mango families who lost their houses in the tsunami 11 months ago now have a new village and houses to call their own.
Since the January 15, 2022 tsunami, the families have been staying in emergency buildings and relatives in the main island Tongatapu.
About 62 people living on Mango island were evacuated after the tsunami.
One of the residents Telai Tutu’ila, 65, died in the tsunami which destroyed all homes on the island.
Ash and the tsunami triggered by the eruption of the Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai volcano affected an estimated 84 per cent of the population of Tonga.
“The tsunami engulfed some of the low-lying coastal areas on Tongatapu and Ha’apai and sent waves across the Pacific Ocean as high as 15 metres.”
The new village for the island community of Mango was rebuilt at the royal estate at Tā’anga in ‘Eua Island.
The victims were handed the keys yesterday to new homes built for them with money from the Natural Disasters Fund, partly donated by New Zealand and Australia.
His Majesty’s Armed Forces’ vessel VOEA Ngahau Koula transported the kāinga from Tongatapu to their new village yesterday.
The transportation has been described as ‘emotional’ and ‘truly amazing’.
