Dopo 5 giorni di isolamento a seguito dell'eruzione del vulcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai e del successivo tsunami nel Pacifico meridionale, i primi aerei militari australiani e neozelandesi sono atterrati nell'aeroporto principale dell'arcipelago di Tonga. La pista dello scalo era stata ripulita mercoledì dallo strato di alcuni centimetri di cenere che la ricopriva.
Ad accogliere gli aiuti anche il premier Siaosi Sovaleni, qui con l'inviata australiana Rachel Moore
L'Australia ha inviato un aereo C-17 Globemaster e prevede il decollo di un secondo volo entro fine giornata. L'aereo neozelandese "trasporta aiuti umanitari e materiale di soccorso in caso di catastrofe, in particolare contenitori d'acqua, kit igienici, rifugi temporanei, generatori e apparecchi di comunicazione", ha spiegato la ministra degli esteri neozelandese, Nanaia Mahuta.
Ulteriori aiuti sono stati promessi dal Giappone, che ha annunciato l'invio di due C-130, oltre che da Cina e Francia. Venerdì sono inoltre attesi anche i primi soccorsi via mare, inviati ancora dalla Nuova Zelanda.
Un'area colpita dallo tsunami a Nuku'Alofa, capitale dell'arcipelago
Le autorità locali hanno però sottolineato l'importanza delle misure di precauzione per evitare che nell'arcipelago giunga anche il virus del Covid-19, da cui Tonga è al momento considerato "libero", prevedendo rigidi protocolli per la consegna degli aiuti.
Isole di Tonga, almeno tre morti
Telegiornale 18.01.2022, 21:00
Secondo l'ONU, più dell'80% della popolazione dell'arcipelago è stato colpito dal cataclisma. Il bilancio è di almeno tre morti, fra i quali anche una cittadina britannica.
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