In a statement by the Australian government, the ship’s crew planned on a contactless delivery to avoid possible coronavirus infections with the Tongan population.
“We appreciate the decision of the government of Tonga to enable HMAS Adelaide to dock and offload the humanitarian and medical supplies, and the high priority it has placed on COVID safety throughout the recovery process,” the statement read. “The ship is undertaking an entirely contactless delivery of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies.”
Newsweek previously reported that Red Cross workers were cautious about outside aid workers, as Tonga is one of the few places globally that are virus-free, with one reported case since the start of the pandemic. According to Our World Data, 61 percent of the Tongan population is fully vaccinated.
Tonga usually requires all visitors to quarantine for three weeks, per the Associated Press. Aid workers will deliver the supplies without contact.
The January 15 volcanic eruption covered Tonga with thick ash while supplying safe drinking water is a priority. The HMAS Adelaide delivered a desalination plant, helicopters and engineering equipment.
“There is an urgent need for people to have access to safe water sources in the days and weeks to come,” said Sione Taumoefolau, the secretary general of Tonga Red Cross in a statement. “Ash has settled in water tanks, requiring time to settle and careful treatment before use.”
The AP reported the tsunami triggered by the volcanic explosion claimed three lives.
According to NASA’s Earth Observatory, the eruption released hundreds of times more mechanical energy than the Hiroshima nuclear explosion. Before the eruption, two islands—Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’apai—were joined by one island landmass. But after the incident, “the island was obliterated,” separating the two islands.
The Tonga Red Cross reported that homes on Mango, Fonoifua and Namuka Islands have been completely wiped out. Meanwhile, the government estimates at least 84 percent of the population is affected by the explosion, and communication is still limited.
“This disaster has shaken the people of Tonga like nothing we have seen in our lifetime,” Taumoefolau said. “The tsunami has wiped out homes and villages, but we are already rebuilding amid the ashes.”
Pita Taufatofua, the Tongan Olympic flag-bearer who was training in Australia at the time of the eruption, set up a GoFundMe that has raised over $736,000 (AUD) in relief funds as of Wednesday morning.
“In the coming days, weeks we will need your help. Initial priority for the funds will go towards those most in need, infrastructure and damage to schools, hospitals etc.,” Taufatofua wrote on the GoFundMe.
