ST OR Y FR OM THE FIELD

Tonga National Youth Congress
STORY FROM THE FIELD
Feb 17, 2014
WEATHER FORECAST
sponse in time of an emergency originated
from any natural disaster. OXFAM New Zealand and Tear Fund support with funding to
make sure this exercise is done in preparation
for any natural disaster that may happen.
Part of the training was also to set up a response team from youth in each island group
to help each communities
and Town Officer if such
a disaster may occurred.
Because of this training
and set up Tonga National Youth Congress was
able to response immediately to the Emergency
Oversee Centre.
On January 9th, 2014 cyclone Ian was
detected heading to the Kingdom of
Tonga. Weather forecast from the meteorological Unit the Cyclone was average to have a north winds of 100 kilometers per hour
with gusty period
of up to 140 kilometers per hour it
was a Category
Four system and
located about
300 kilometers
west of Vava'u
and moving south
east at about five
Satellite view of Severe Tropical
kilometers per
Cyclone Ian approaching Tonga.
Satellite view of Ian approaching
hour.
THE TEAM
The team from Vava’u,
Ha’apai was called to response with update on the situation and status
THE RESPONSE
of the cyclone from the ground, while Tongatapu team work in shift to the Emergency
As soon as the cyclone escalated to
category four the National Emergency Oversee Center (EOC)at NEMO collating all
Management Operation (NEMO) call this information.
together the national stakeholder reIn January 10th cyclone Ian move passes Vavsponse team to work and gather report a’u and on January 11 it struck the Ha’apai
from team on the ground in Vava’u and group. A stage of emergency was declared
Ha’apai where the cyclone was head- and NEMO set up the first emergency reing.
sponds team to set sail to Ha’apai to assess
THE TRAINING
Late last year in September the Environment and Disaster Management Division of the organization have undergo a training exercise on how to conduct a Rapid Assessment and conducting a simulation exercise in the eastern
side of Nuku’alofa in case a tsunami
case might happen. This has given the
team the confident and the skill to re-
the damages occur.
OXFAM SUPPORT
From the Warning State and regular Weather
Forecast on the radio. OXFAM response team
in New Zealand have also contact TNYC team
with regular update on the cyclone path and
it’s strength as well as conducting media interview to teams member on the ground in Vava’u and Ha’apai.
Respond Team departing do to their survey of
Mango island
Respond Team in Prayers
First Respond Team saying their prayers at Lifua wharf
Respond Team approaching Lifuka
Army Boys getting the Voea Savea to sail to
Ha’apai
First Emergency Respond Team ready to board
the army ship for Ha’apai
Viewing Pangai from the
Voea Savea
Satellite view of Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian approaching Tonga (Credit:
ABC licensed)
Aerial photo of the damage to Taufa'ahau wharf and the
town of Pangai in the Ha'apai group, Tonga, after Cyclone Ian. (Credit: ABC licensed)
Damages of the houses
near the wharf
Awaiting for the Voea
Savea at Pangai
This Royal New Zealand Air Force photograph shows the damage to Ha'apai island
group, in Tonga, following Cyclone Ian.
RESPONSE TEAM
after cyclone Ian hit the Ha’apai
group. Clean water supplies for
On January 12th the first
emergency respond team set
sail to the island groups of
Ha’apai which was led by
the Dept. Prime minister Samiu Vaipulu with Police officers, military officers, TNYC
team, Red Cross and other
NGO’s .
RAPID ASSESSMENT
Team 1 from Tongatapu
Village of Foa after the
leave to Ha’apai on the Nacyclone Ian
vy Boat Voea Savea including
Matelita Houa (Assistant Environdrinking was the major needs from
ment and Disaster Officer), Peniueti
all the islands.
Jagroop (Media Officer for TNYC).
Team 2 leave from Vava’u on the
Voea Neiafu with Pilima ’Ahokovi,
Sione Tu’a (Disaster Response Officer who also participate in TNYC
training last year.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
On the 14th January OXFAM New
Zealand send two technical Officer
for Disaster Response to coordinate
and assess the situation for emergenASSESSMENT RESULT
cy response. Ms. Bonnie Jackson
(Coordinator ), Mr. Stuart Kent
Major damages to Kauvai area in- ( Field Assessor). OXFAM also procluding Mo’unga’one , Major devide immediate fund for the team
struction on Foa area as well as Lifu- expenses on transport, travel, water
ka island and ‘Uiha , Lofanga isand food supply while conduction
lands. Lulunga District and the
the assessment and coordinating the
‘Otumu’omu’a receive minor damag- responses for the disaster.
es to houses ,trees and root crops.
duct an In- depth assessment survey on Water , Sanitation and
Livelihood. From the survey it’s
shows that there is a priority need
for Mo’unga’one and Kauvai Island for clean water to drink and
basic household hygiene and sanitation within the house and also
Evacuation center. From the survey as well the people from the
same areas
also express
the
“Thank you
need
Oxfam and TNYC
for fishfor your help”
ing
said
equipMo’unga’one
ment so
town officer
that they
can start
getting some food for their family.
The assessment did not just focus in
Kauvai island and Mounga’one
but cover Lifuka , Foa Island and
’Uiha.
MAFFF Crop Survey
Mr. Navuso Tuaimei’api ( Future
Organic Farmer Coordinator) also
leave to Ha’apai with the team
consist of MAFFF ( Ministry of Agriculture , Food , Fisheries & Forestry) officer to conduct an indepth assessment on the damages
IN DEPTH ASSESSMENT
received to crops and trees in the
Communication System and Equiparea. TNYC also conduct the surment suffer major damages resulting Mr. Stuart Kent and Mr. Mausa
vey with member of the organic
in no communication mean for the
Halahala (TNYC Env. & Disaster Cogrower group in Ha’apai.
Ha’apai group in the first four day ordinator leave to Ha’apai to con-
Viewing Pangai
Koulo Roads was away by the sea
Kids going through their Friendly Island
Bookshop
Damages at Fotuha’a
What left of the church of Tonga
The damages at Koulo
MAFFF building collapse at Pangai
Over viewing the damages at Ha’afakahenga
Staring in to an collapse building at Foa
Ha’apai Youth Congress building
collapse
HYC president Moimoi Fakahua
looking at his place
HYC Building
The Response Plan for the Emergency Relief Phase focus on three
identify area of need. Water , Sanitation and Livelihood. Two Desalination Unit and Generator to run the
unit arrive to help in the water need
specifically from Kauvai island and
Mo’unga’one.
washing powder, soap , feminism
sanitation pads, Dettol's and mosquitoes coils. UNICEF also provide the
soaps for the sanitation kits.
People of this villages Ha’ano, Pukotala, Muitoa, Fakakai and
Mo’unga’one were very happy to
receive quality water for drinking
TNYC will also start rebuilding
on the VCO unit in Ha’apai all of
the three unit were damages during the cyclone. Mo’unga’one
people and Kauvai also express
the need to start pressing on the
coconuts now on the ground for
oil and sell on the market for income to the families.
OXFAM also provide
technical support in
The people of Kauvai and
bringing a Water EngiMo’unga’one extend their
neer Mr., Kip Cooper to
heartfelt gratitude for such
setup and trained comgenerosity from MFAT
munities on how to run
New Zealand and
and care for the DesaliOXFAM, JICA, UNICEF
nation Unit. UNICEF
and AUSAID for providalso provide 10, 20ltr
ing water and sanitation
water catchment to diskits and livelihood tools
tribute for each houseand fishing equipment in
hold water fetching and
their times of hardship.
collecting. JICA ( JapaTNYC and OXFAM team
nese , International ,
continue to monitor water
TNYC and Oxfam Volunteer getting things ready before the
Cooperation ,Agency)
distribution at the district at Kauvai
usage from the desalinaprovide 5000ltr water
tion unit and providing
bladder for used to store
regular testing to make sure that
water from desalination unit for
and cooking and also basic stuff for water quality is clean and fit for
communities drinking water.
the household sanitation.
drinking and preparing food.
One Hundred and Forty Sanitation In the livelihood area the team have
The team will also start working
kits were also distribute to 140
also started distribution of fishing
on seedling ped preparation and
Household in Kauvai including
net to Kauvai area that phase 1 of
distribution of planting material
Mo’unga’one. The sanitation kits
the livelihood recovery plan and
for the grower and small farmer
consist of basic stuff such as tooth phase two will look at providing
of Ha’apai starting from 17th Febbase/brush, comb, underwear for
seedling organic weed management ruary.
men /women and children, nappy
and organic fertilizer and tools to
for babies, water jug, bowls for
help grower on their farm allotment.
body washing, bowls for cooking,
OXFAM officer and TNYC volunteer unpacking the hygiene kit
TNYC officer getting the plan
ready
TNYC volunteer unpacking the
supply
TNYC Volunteer working hard in labeling and dividing the supplu to the
villages
Dividing the supply
TNYC&OXFAM Distribution Team
Steward Knet smiling as the
supply are ready
OXFAM&TNYC team headun
for Kauvai for the distribution
Kauvai kid getting clean water
Kauvai public going to get clean water
from the desalination unit
Mausa Halahala getting the desalination
unit ready
Mo’unga’one kids getting clean water
TNYC volunteer bout to distribute supply at Kauvai district
Getting ready to distribute
Finally getting their supply

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