Tonga Gets Internet Access Back After Tsunami

The loss of connectivity was difficult for many Tongans who couldn’t receive remittances.

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The cable that provides internet and phone access to residents of Tonga has been fixed, more than a month after a tsunami brought on by an undersea volcanic eruption killed three people and left dozens homeless.

Radio New Zealand reported the fiber optic cable repair took about 20 days.

A P-3K2 Orion aircraft flies over an area of Tonga that shows the heavy ash fall from the recent volcanic eruption within the Tongan Islands. 5 Squadron crew work on board whilst flying overhead to provide vital information to send back to MFAT and various other government agencies.
The volcanic eruption left heavy ash fall across Tonga, as pictured in this image from Royal New Zealand Air Force. New Zealand Defence Force/2022

Samuiela Fonua of Tonga Cable Limited told the radio station that the repair would likely cost at least $1 million in U.S. dollars.

The loss of connectivity was challenging for many Tongans including those in the diaspora who worried about their loved ones back home. Many weren’t able to send remittances back home. Normally remittances make up 40% of the country’s GDP.

Tongans in Hawaii have been organizing donation drives and fundraisers for those affected by the tsunami.

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