New significant volcanic activities at north of Tongatapu on Friday morning prompted a tsunami marine warning for Tonga in the afternoon, however Tonga MetService says this morning the threat has now passed.
The latest eruption had a radius of 260 km (161.5 miles), and sent ash, steam, and gas 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) into the air.
It was also about seven times more powerful than the previous eruption on Dec 20, 2021.
It triggered a 30 cm (one foot) unusual sea wave activities which were observed in Mango and at the Nuku’alofa waterfronts yesterday morning.
“Based on the observation data recorded from the tide gauge at Nuku’alofa it indicated that the state of the sea level is back to normal. The fluctuation of the sea level recorded in the tide gauge at Nuku’alofa was below 10cm over the past s6 hours”, Tonga Geological Services said this morning January 15.
“Therefore the tsunami marine warning previously indicated for the ‘Out Mu’omu’a in Ha’apai (Nomuka, Mango, Fonoifua) ‘Atata, ‘Eueiki, Tongatapu and ‘Eua coastal areas and waters are now cancelled”.
Last night residents throughout the kingdom mainly Tongatapu, Vava’u and Ha’apai shared dramatic photos of red-orange skies hanging over parts of the islands, from which the threatening volcanic eruption at the Hungas could be seen in the horizons.
Fonoi and Mango Islands residents were at the centre of an emergency response after significant volcanic ashfall from the Hungas has contaminated their water supplies.
His Majesty’s Armed Forces together with a team from NEMO will be transporting approximately 3450 litres of water on VOEA Ngahau Siliva to the islands today, January 15. Photo/Supplied
“The government is planning a response with the provision of clean drinking water to be supplied from Tongatapu to these affected populations, as soon as possible for the next 10 days”, NEMO said in a statement.
It said there were 69 residents in Fonoi and 36 in Mango.
“We are proposing a minimum of 3 litres per person daily”.
It has sent a shipment with over 3450 litres of potable water to the two Ha’apai islands.
“435 water containers have been filled from established water harvesting system located at NEMO’s Warehouse in Matatoa. The containers hold 8 litres of water each.
“NEMO has also commenced planning for a medium and long term solution to address the water contamination issue in the islands.
“Prior to the 10 day period completion, NEMO through the Logistics and Coordination Cluster will once again, transport clean drinking water supplies through water tanks. The logistics for the Government of Tonga’s medium term response is currently in progress.”
Tongan authorities previously warned residents in Tongatapu, Vava’u and Ha’apai to remove guttering systems from rainwater tank storage until the eruption finishes. These should not be reinstalled until after the next rainfall, to reduce the risk of contamination.
A New Zealand doctor has been accused of writing clinic notes describing Covid-19-vaccinated patients as “magnetic”.
(File image) When the Ministry of Health released data showing Covid-19 vaccinations rates by suburb and rural community in October, Murupara was the lowest per 1000 people. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
A colleague who discovered the records was so concerned, they wrote to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.
The ministerial emails have been released to RNZ under the Official Information Act.
The letter sent on 4 November, says “I have spoken to a pregnant patient at the practice in [redacted] who, despite an intention to get vaccinated, was convinced to not get the vaccine after listening to arguments.
“I have seen clinic notes for patients whom I was subsequently asked to review where [name redacted] records them as having become magnetic after getting vaccinated.”
RNZ understands the anti-vax practitioner is Dr Bernard Conlon from the Murupara Medical Centre.
The letter describes when the anti-vax doctor “literally jumped out of” their chair and “clapped hands in celebration” when they saw their community was “at the bottom of the league table for vaccinations”.
When the Ministry of Health released data showing Covid-19 vaccinations rates by suburb and rural community in October, Murupara was the lowest per 1000 people, when less than one third of residents had had one jab.
The doctor who wrote the letter to the minister said they had “been both a recipient of, and witness to, impassioned insistence that the vaccine should best be avoided”.
“[Name redacted] has told me directly, and in no uncertain terms, that the vaccine is dangerous. [Name redacted] insists that getting the vaccine puts the recipient at increased risk of harm, and will prevent that person from developing natural immunity, ultimately making them at greater risk of injury, but also greater risk to the people around them through an increased risk of transmitting the virus to others.
“I have personally been offered hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin (veterinarian ivermectin) from [name redacted] despite not being [name redacted] patient. I have listened to [name redacted] persuade patients that vaccinations are dangerous and ought to be avoided, instead insisting that ‘the smart money’ is on early intervention with zinc, vitamin C, N-Acetylcysteine, hydroxychloroquine, and ivermectin, with the promise that would help them through their infections (locally) and this would afford them ‘natural immunity’ towards the current strain, and future mutations.”
The author finished the letter by saying the anti-vax doctor was “not a safe person to be influencing the healthcare” of patients, “irrespective of history and great mana”.
“My fear is that [name redacted] already had more than enough time to poison local peoples’ beliefs, and I hope that you will deny [name redacted] request for a publicly endorsed platform to spread influence further.”
One of Chris Hipkins’ secretaries then emailed Health Minister Andrew Little’s office, with links to news stories about Dr Conlon.
They said the emailed letter was “pretty concerning” but, in another thread, Ministry of Health Chief Medical Officer Andrew Connolly said only the Medical Council could stop the doctor practising.
Dr Conlon and his partner and colleague Dr Britta Noske have been public about their anti-Covid-19 vaccination beliefs for months.
Both still have their Medical Council practising certificates, but Dr Conlon is being investigated for questioning the safety of the vaccine at a public meeting last year.
In posts on Facebook, the centre has encouraged community members to use a “Community Covid First Aid Kit”.
This includes a mouthwashes, ointment, vitamin D supplements, zinc, and multivitamins, while in other posts from the centre attributed to Dr Conlon, the vaccination is described as “a gene therapy injection”.
Dr Noske told RNZ this afternoon: “I’m yet to see a decent story that any of you guys have written about us”.
“Stuff that the media is putting out makes me completely unimpressed. I refuse to engage anymore because this is ridiculous,” Dr Noske said.
The pair have not been able to do face-to-face consultations since vaccines were mandated for health workers. They have relied on telehealth instead.
Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners medical director Dr Bryan Betty told RNZ if notes were digital they could not normally be wiped.
“If it’s under a practice management system – which is a computerised system that doctors and GPs all across New Zealand use – those notes are all traceable,” Betty said.
Medical Council investigations were thorough but “like any judicial process it can take a period of time to resolve” – often months, he said.
“Obviously the person who is being investigated needs to be able to respond to anything that has been brought forward.”
In a statement, a government spokesperson said: “Ministers can not intervene directly in matters of professional standards or behaviour in any profession, other than to report any instances to the relevant professional body, in this case the Medical Council.”
In a statement, the Ministry of Health said: “The Covid-19 vaccine is one of the more well-studied medicines of our time.
“The technology used to create the vaccine has been developed over decades of research and interest has grown in these vaccines because they can be developed in a laboratory using readily available materials. This means the process can be standardised and scaled up, making vaccine development faster than traditional methods of making vaccines.
“This technology could be quickly adapted to create an effective vaccine against Covid-19. The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine has met international standards for quality, safety, and efficacy. The vaccine is safe.”
There is no evidence the vaccine makes people magnetic.
The Medical Council said it was unable to comment on individual cases, for privacy reasons.
“Council steps in as early as possible when a notification is made, or information comes to light to put in place any necessary arrangements to ensure public safety. These may include voluntary undertakings, conditions, or suspension.
“If council considers that the notification needs to be investigated further, and the complaint relates to a doctor’s conduct, the matter is referred to a Professional Conduct Committee.
“A Professional Conduct Committee is separate to the council. All investigations are carried out by a PCC.”
Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has cancelled Novak Djokovic’s visa and the tennis player will be deported.
Photo: AFP
Hawke said he cancelled the visa on “health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so”.
“In making this decision I carefully considered information provided to me by the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force and Mr Djokovic,” he said.
The tennis star’s legal team has indicated they intend to file an injunction against the minister’s decision in a bid to allow him to stay and play in the Australian Open.
If Djokovic does not appeal the minister’s decision he will be deported and may be barred from being granted any future visa for the next three years.
It is unclear yet if he has been taken back into immigration detention in Melbourne.
Hawke had been considering whether to personally intervene since Monday, when Djokovic won a reprieve in court case that reversed an earlier decision to cancel his entry visa in the hours after he arrived in Australia on 6 January.
Djokovic, who is unvaccinated, had his visa revoked on 6 January shortly after arriving in Melbourne amid questions over the vaccine exemption that would have permitted him to enter.
Earlier today, the world number one seed was drawn to play compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the Australian Open, with Tennis Australia preparing as if he was going to play.
Hawke’s decision to revoke Djokovic’s dashes the Serb’s hopes of winning a record 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open, the year’s first major, which starts in Melbourne on 17 January.
In a statement on Instagram he said his team filed the document and the mistake was a “human error”, and he had provided additional information to the government for the minister to consider.
Startling images from Vava’u and Ha’apai islands this evening show otherworldly red-orange skies hanging over parts of the islands, from which the threatening volcanic eruption at the Hungas could be seen in the sky.
Apocalyptic photo taken in Vava’u. Photo/Gladys Guttenbeil (Facebook)
Neiafu and Mango island residents shared photos of the incidents on Facebook.
Tonga is now under a state of tsunami marine alert after large volcanic eruptions last night continued this morning causing some abnormal tides and waves in Tongatapu and Mango island seas.
Social media users are drawing parallels between the Hungas volcanic activities, red skies and the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation.
Apocalyptic photo taken in Vava’u. Photo/Gladys Guttenbeil
Tonga Geological Services said this morning that volcanic plume of ash, steam and gas were detected.
“Eruption is forecasted to be imminent with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere like, or eruption is underway with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere”.
It said satellite images showed “ash plume at altitude 5-20 km above sea level”.
Why are skies red at night?
According to https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/ a red sky appears when dust and small particles are trapped in the atmosphere by high pressure. This scatters blue light leaving only red light to give the sky its notable appearance. A red sky at sunset means high pressure is moving in from the west, so therefore the next day will usually be dry and pleasant.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA NOUNOU
Ko e lanu kulokula ‘a e langi’ he po’uli’ ‘oku tupu mei hano fakafihia’i ‘e ha ‘ea mālohi ha ngaahi pātikolo iiki mo ha efu he ‘etimosifia’. Hanga ‘e he ongo me’a’ ni ‘o veteki ‘a e lanu pulū angamaheni ‘o e langi’ kae ‘asi kulokula mai ia. Ka taaitō leva ‘a e la’aa’ kuo ‘asi kulokula mai ‘a e langi’ pea ko e mahino ia kuo nga’unu ‘a e ‘ea mālohi’ ni mei he hihifo’ mo e efu mo e pātikolo ne fihia’. Ko ia ai ‘e ‘i ai ‘a e ‘amanaki lelei ki he ‘aho hono hoko’ ‘e langi ma’a ia mo mātu’u.
Tonga’s Minister of Internal Affairs Sangstar Saulala is concerned that significant eruptions at Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai last night might affect two scheduled repatriation flights to bring back workers and Tongans who have been stuck overseas.
Minister of Internal Affairs Sangstar Saulala
At this stage no changes have been made to the schedules.
A flight to Tonga from Vanuatu was scheduled to arrive at the Fua’amotu International Airport next week on January 18 while the flight from Auckland, New Zealand was expected to arrive on January 20.
More than 70 Recognised Seasonal Employer workers in New Zealand were expected to return to the kingdom as part of this 300-passenger flight.
The chartered flight from Vanuatu will bring about a dozen Chinese passengers to work on His Majesty’s Armed Forces’ construction projects. Vanuatu is currently Covid free.
Tonga returned 215 stranded passengers on its last repatriation flight from New Zealand on 27 October 2021.
Previous flight cancellations
Hon Saulala’s concern came after Air New Zealand repeatedly cancelled its repatriation flight from Auckland to Tonga in December due to the high level ash eruption at Hunga Tonga- Hunga Ha’apai detected earlier.
About a month now since the volcanic activities were first reported, significant eruptions at the Hungas last night led to this morning’s tsunami marine alert from Tongan authorities. The public were warned to stay off the beach and out of the water.
“It has yet to be decided whether that could affect the aircraft coming”, Hon Saulala told Kaniva News in Tongan.
Fiji and Australia flights put on hold
Hon Saulala said repatriation flights from Fiji and Australia have been put on hold because of the community surges of Omicron virus in these two countries.
He said Omicron cases in New Zealand were detected at the border and were being monitored at managed isolations and quarantine facilities.
“This was why the New Zealand repatriation flight was allowed to bring part of the kāinga,” he saidin Tongan.
New Zealand authorities were currently studying Australia’s Omicron situation “in trying to determine what would happen if Omicron got into the community in New Zealand”, Te Pūnaha Matatini complex systems researcher Dion O’Neale told RNZ’s Morning Report yesterday.
“Australia’s Omicron surge is leading to staff shortages that have disrupted supply chains and hampered the economy’s recovery”, Aljazeera reported.
This morning it has been reported that New South Wales has recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic so far, with 29 Covid-related deaths and 63,018 new cases.
Fiji limit social gatherings
Meanwhile, “social gatherings in Fiji homes and communities are now limited to 20 people as the Government moved this week to contain the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the country”.
RNZ reported on Fiji case saying that “As of 10 January, there were 4,863 active cases in isolation – of both the Omicron and Delta variants – with the death toll at 714”.
Reports of fluctuations in sea-level recorded in the island of Mango have forced authorities to alert the public this morning of possible tsunami waves to hit Tonga.
Tonga Met Service said Mango town officer has reported unusual sea waves in the island.
There were also reports of unusual sea activities this morning at waterfronts between Vuna wharf and Yellow Pier in Nuku’alofa.
Authorities believed there was a link between the activities and last night’s Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai islands new activities.
“A tsunami alert will remain in effect for all of Tonga,” Tonga MetService said.
No details have been released.
“Based on the abnormal tide observation reported from the town officer of Mango island and the Nuku’alofa marine and ports and its relevant to the ongoing volcanic eruption in the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai area, a tsunami marine warning is now in force for Tonga”, Met Service said.
“Public are advised to keep away from low lying coastal areas, reefs and beaches. Mariners out at sea are advised to prepare to move to deep water.
The next bulletin will be issued as soon as new information is received. Listen to Radio Tonga”.
The warnings came after foul-smelling gases were reported in Nuku’alofa and Ha’apai this morning. People had been warned to wear mask and stay inside their house.
There were also reports of apparent toxic dusts noticed at the Ha’apai group.
Residents in Tongatapu, Vava’u and Ha’apai have been warned to remove guttering systems from rainwater tank storage until the eruption finishes. These should not be reinstalled until after the next rainfall, to reduce the risk of contamination.
Brian Tamaki’s Destiny Church and the Freedoms and Rights Coalition have taken up residence in a central Christchurch park – and they’re not doing it quietly.
Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Since November, both groups have made Cranmer Square their regular meeting place.
The regular protests and religious gatherings have taken their toll on central Christchurch residents, with motorbikes and chanting taking over their streets each weekend.
Community board member for the Central Ward Michelle Lomax said it’s not fair on residents.
“[Those gathering in the square] need to respect the resident’s rights as well,” she said.
“The continual use of the square in that way and for church services is breaching various bylaws and has caused noise breaches.”
Lomax explained the event from a local’s perspective.
“It’s been really disruptive for the residents because they pull up a truck onto the grass; there’s a PA system that’s really loud so people sitting in their home enjoying their morning cup of tea have to listen to things [they might not want to hear].”
Charles Drace lives 300 metres from the square and said he can almost make out the words to the speeches from his house.
“You have to give them credit, they are impressive, especially as sometimes these can last for three hours,” he said.
Central Ward city councillor Jake McLellan said he has been overwhelmed by messages from local residents concerned about the gatherings on their doorstep.
“To steal a quote from Brian Tamaki ‘enough is enough’, and the residents have certainly had enough of what has now been months of their peace and enjoyment being ruined.”
McLellan, Lomax and fellow Community Board member for the Central Ward Sunita Gautam decided to co-write a letter to Tamaki.
Lomax explained they did it to encourage Tamaki to come and have a sit down with the local community to resolve the issue.
“As the church leader, I thought he could provide leadership to try to help work out a solution that is good for the protesters but also not in the middle of a residential area,” she said.
McLellan said there are other places the church can worship.
“There are lots of venues that [Destiny Church] could worship – and absolutely they should be able to worship.”
“But if church members are choosing not to … get vaccinated and they can’t access public facilities, then that’s on them,” he said.
On Tuesday, Christchurch City Council issued the Freedom and Rights coalition with a $14,117 fine, which a spokesperson said covers the costs incurred by the council for protest events before Christmas.
Yesterday, the council also met with Canterbury police to discuss the issue and said it may look at fining the Freedoms and Rights Coalition again for last weekend’s protest.
Lomax said while she had received messages from residents about the gatherings, they wanted a mutually beneficial solution.
“The residents are like ‘live and let live’ but it’s just not fair what’s been happening.
“I know its really important for the residents that there’s a peaceful solution that can be reached. It’s not in anyone’s interests for this to get escalated.”
Charles said that’s spot on and no one should be denied the right to protest.
“My objection is a personal objection to what they stand for… I get pissed off by the motorbikes driving around and putting out carbon monoxide.
“There’s no way that I can object against protesting since I’ve been involved in organising so many climate change protests myself!”
Fiji has reported seven more deaths and 417 new cases of Covid-19 in the community.
This brings the total number of cases in isolation of both the Omicron and Delta variants to 4903.
Photo: AFP
Fiji’s Government has also confirmed there are 205 Covid-19 patients hospitalised.
The death toll in Fiji is now 721.
Health Secretary James Fong said the seven victims were aged between 53 and 73, and two of them had died in hospital while the rest were at home.
“We have recorded 655 Covid-19 positive patients who died from serious medical conditions they had before they contracted Covid. These are not classified as Covid-19 deaths,” Dr Fong said.
“We are prioritising our testing to individuals at higher risk of severe disease to ensure that they are assessed early, referred to an appropriate health care facility, and managed promptly if their symptoms deteriorate.
“If you develop a cold or flu-like symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, body ache, fever, you should assume you have Covid-19, and self-isolate.
“If you have any of these symptoms, please stay home to avoid spreading the disease to others, and in particular those who may be more at risk of severe disease,” Dr Fong said.
Isolation period down to 7 days
Meanwhile, the isolation period for Covid-19 positive persons has been reduced from 10 days to seven, the Health Ministry said.
Dr Fong said positive patients could stop isolating after seven days if symptoms were improving and at least 24 hours had passed since having a fever without the need to take fever-reducing medications such as paracetamol.
.. Photo: Facebook/Fiji govt
“You may stop isolating if seven days have passed since the start of symptoms or since the positive test (for asymptomatic cases),” he said.
Dr Fong said close contacts were not required to isolate unless they developed symptoms.
“If you are a close contact and develop symptoms you must assume you have Covid-19 and self-isolate as described.
“If you develop a cold or flu-like symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, body ache, fever, you should assume you have Covid-19, and self-isolate.”
In the past seven days until 11 January, 1124 new cases were recorded in the Central Division, 841 in the west, 12 in the east, and 188 new cases in the Northern Division.
Cases in the Central Division included 69 percent of the total nationally, with the west making up 27 percent, 3 percent in the north, and 1 percent in the Eastern Division.
Dr Fong said of the latest cases, 213 were recorded on 11 January and 204 in the last 24 hours ending at 8am on Wednesday.
“Of the 417 cases, 194 cases were recorded in the Central Division; 182 in the west, and 41 in the north.”
The daily average of Covid-19 cases since 8 January is 418, Dr Fong said.
The man who had been drinking alcohol and taking methamphetamine while driving his car before crashing and killing his passenger has been convicted in the Supreme Court.
Kilifi Jr Lapu’aho. Photo/Facebook
Siuta Tāufa pleaded not guilty to his charge of dangerous driving causing death. He changed his plea to his second charge of possessing 0.08 gram of methamphetamine to guilty.
The court was told that at about 11.30pm on the night of July 3, 2021, Tāufa drove his car, with Uikilifi Lapu’aho sitting in the left front passenger seat, from Vaini to Tatakamotonga where Lapu’aho bought a bottle of liquor. They mixed the alcohol and drank it while returning to Vaini.
It was close to midnight by then and the accused drove very fast to try and get home before the lock-down curfew at 12 midnight occurred, the court judgement said.
When they got to the fork in the road, that is, of Taufa’āhau Road on which they were travelling, and Tuku’aho Road, at the end of the village of Malapo towards Vainī, the accused lost control of the car. The car swerved to the right side of Taufa’āhau Road and hit a power pole on that side of the road with its left side, where Lapu’aho was sitting at the front passenger seat. The car bounced off it and rested about two meters from the post.
The sound of the crash was heard by a prison warden at Hu’atolitoli prison across the road some 200 meters away and he went over and found both occupants of the car unconscious.
The warden alerted the Vaini police on his phone before they arrived at the scene.
Both Tāufa and Lapu’aho were rushed to Vaiola Hospital before Lapu’aho died at 2am in the morning.
Illicit drugs and cash
The police found a black plastic bag wrapped in some fabric in the boot of the car. Inside the plastic bag was a see-through plastic bag and inside that bag were $1776 in cash, 47 empty packs and a bottle in which two packs of methamphetamine were found.
A statement by Tāufa was read in court. He was apologetic and said : “How I feel about this charge I feel really repentant at what has happened. And I feel sorry for the one who has died. Because I did not intend that anything like that would happen.”
Convictions
Justice Niu said: “I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused drove his car at a speed and in a manner which in the circumstances were dangerous to the public and that it caused the death of the passenger in the car, Uikilifi Lapu’aho.
“Accordingly, I find that the accused, Siuta Taufa, is guilty of the offence of dangerous driving causing death with which he is charged in count 1 of his indictment and I convict him of that.
I also confirm that I have convicted the accused, Siuta Taufa, of the offence of possessing 0.08 gram of methamphetamine, with which he is charged in count 2 of his indictment”.
The latest eruption had a radius of 260 km (161.5 miles), and sent ash, steam, and gas 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) into the air.
