News

New Zealand sends flight to survey Tonga volcano damage

Published

2 years ago

17/01/2022

MNN

Pacific nations and aid agencies begin coordinating relief efforts in Tonga after a tsunami triggered by a massive volcanic eruption rocked the tiny island nation, causing significant damage.

New Zealand’s military has been able to send a surveillance flight to Tonga to assess the extent of the damage from a huge undersea volcanic eruption while Australia said initial reports suggested no mass casualties in the Pacific island nation from tsunami.

A New Zealand Air Force P-3K Orion aircraft left from Auckland on Monday to assist in an initial impact assessment of the area and low-lying islands, the New Zealand defence forces said on Twitter.

Red Cross said it was mobilising its regional network to respond to what it called the worst volcanic eruptions the Pacific has experienced in decades.

Australian authorities said their initial reports suggested no mass casualties in Tonga, but added there was “significant damage” to roads and bridges in the country.

“At this stage, fortunately, we have no reports of any mass casualties, which is obviously very good news. But there is still very limited, if any, information coming from the outer islands,” Zed Seselja, Minister for the Pacific, told broadcaster ABC.

Australia will send a surveillance flight on Monday to assess the damage, as Pacific nations and aid agencies began coordinating relief efforts.

Significant damage to boats and shops

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Sunday there had not yet been any official reports of injuries or deaths in Tonga, but cautioned that authorities hadn’t yet made contact with some coastal areas and smaller islands.

“Communication with Tonga remains very limited. And I know that is causing a huge amount of anxiety for the Tongan community here,” Ardern said.

She said there had been significant damage to boats and shops along the Tongan coastline. The capital, Nuku’alofa, was covered in a thick film of volcanic dust, Ardern said, contaminating water supplies and making fresh water a vital need.

Ardern said New Zealand was unable to send a surveillance flight over Tonga because the ash cloud was 63,000 feet high but they hoped to try again on Monday, followed by supply planes and navy ships.

One complicating factor to any international aid effort is that Tonga has so far managed to avoid any outbreaks of Covid-19.

Ardern said New Zealand’s military staff were all fully vaccinated and willing to follow any protocols established by Tonga.

Tonga begins cleaning efforts

A towering ash cloud had prevented the military from launching any flights earlier to the Pacific island nation.

People on Tonga described their country as looking like a moonscape as they began on Monday the task of cleaning up from the tsunami waves and ash fall caused by the eruption.

Communications with the island nation remained limited after the internet was cut soon after the eruption on Saturday evening.

There were no reports of injuries or deaths, although concerns remained for the fate of people on some of the smaller islands near the volcano.

Global cooling

Meanwhile, scientists said they didn’t think the eruption would have a significant impact on the Earth’s climate.

Huge volcanic eruptions can sometimes cause global cooling as sulfur dioxide is pumped into the stratosphere. But in the case of the Tonga eruption, initial satellite measurements indicated the amount of sulfur dioxide released would only have a tiny effect of perhaps 0.01 Celsius (0.02 Fahrenheit) global average cooling, said Alan Robock, a professor at Rutgers University.

Satellite images showed the spectacular undersea eruption on Saturday evening, with a plume of ash, steam and gas rising like a giant mushroom above the South Pacific waters.

A sonic boom could be heard as far away as Alaska and sent pressure shockwaves around the planet twice, altering atmospheric pressure that may have briefly helped clear out the fog in Seattle, according to the National Weather Service.

Large waves were detected as far as the Caribbean due to pressure changes generated by the eruption.

In Tonga it sent tsunami waves crashing across the shore and people rushing to higher ground.

With internet and phone lines down, friends and family members around the world were left anxiously trying to get in touch.

Government websites and other official sources remained without updates on Sunday afternoon.

‘Everyone just froze’

Aid agencies said thick ash and smoke had prompted authorities to ask people to wear masks and drink bottled water.

In a video posted on Facebook, Nightingale Filihia was sheltering at her family’s home from a rain of volcanic ash and tiny pieces of rock that turned the sky pitch black.

“It’s really bad. They told us to stay indoors and cover our doors and windows because it’s dangerous,” she said. “I felt sorry for the people. Everyone just froze when the explosion happened. We rushed home.”

Outside the house, people were seen carrying umbrellas for protection.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

News

Minister states only 1% of 8% plastic waste is recycled

Published

11 hours ago

30/04/2024

Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has underscored the importance of intensifying plastic recycling practices.

Addressing the media at a campaign event, Minister Shiyam shed light on the significance of collaboration and teamwork to reduce plastic consumption. The minister stressed that the amount of plastic recycled on a daily basis continues to diminish at an alarming rate. Highlighting that while plastic waste contributes to 8% of the total waste accumulated in the country, he revealed that only 1% is currently being recycled. On this stance, the minister noted that the 8% of plastic waste is equivalent to 20,000 to 25,000 metric tonnes, emphasising the necessity in strengthening waste management systems in a modernised manner.

Furthermore, Minister Shiyam stated that if plastic recycling practices are intensified, it will benefit the environment.

The campaign launched at the Central Park of Hulhumale’, will distribute 10,000 cloth bags in the Male’ City area. The campaign aims to reduce the usage of single-use plastic while increasing public awareness regarding the issue.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Unauthorised domain holders to be offered legal compliance

Published

11 hours ago

30/04/2024

Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen has stated that over 50% of the domain numbers being utilized in the Maldives are unauthorised.

During the second ‘Ahaa’ public forum, the Minister revealed the opportunity for unauthorised domain number users to register within the legal framework, underscoring the imminent facilitation of the possibility.

Responding to a civilian inquiry, Minister Ameen confirmed that domain-related activities have been halted in light of two letters forwarded by the former President to the ministry. He emphasized the significance of the domain issue, highlighting the three main points identified.

He noted that individuals who had previously utilised authorised domains were required to cease their usage upon receipt of the President’s letter. While stressing the possession of multiple domains beyond the legal framework, he also pointed to the use of genuine numbers registered to their own numbers.

Moreover, Minister Ameen reiterated that the prior administration had halted the use of the domain due to issues within the Ministry of Transport. He underscored that the present administration does not view illegal activities by certain individuals as grounds for denying access to the service.

Additionally, the Minister provided an insight into the matter of vehicle registration, announcing that efforts are being made to ensure that vehicles are registered within the legal framework. He further expressed the ministry’s commitment to substantially enhancing the accessibility and ease of use of public services, offering maximum convenience for the public.

Source(s): PsmNews

World

Hopes rise for possible truce as Gaza conflict nears 7th month

Published

17 hours ago

30/04/2024

Israel is set to send a delegation to Cairo for talks with Hamas on a new ceasefire proposal aimed at securing the release of hostages held in Gaza as the conflict lingers on for nearly seven months now.

The delegation, composed of security officials, will depart on Tuesday to discuss the deal with Egyptian brokers, an Israeli government source told Xinhua.

A Hamas delegation left Egypt after the talks and will “return with a written response” to the latest truce proposal, according to Egyptian sources quoted by Al-Qahera News, a site also linked to Egyptian intelligence services.

Abdul Latif al-Qanou, a spokesman for Hamas, said on Monday in a statement that “ensuring a permanent ceasefire is a fundamental cornerstone for moving towards the details of negotiations and the success of the agreement with the Israeli occupation.”

According to the Israeli state-owned Kan TV, in the revised proposal, Israel has agreed to reduce the number of hostages it demands to be released to 33.

Israel initially insisted that Hamas release a minimum of 40 hostages but altered its position upon learning that the actual number of surviving hostages was below 40.

Speaking on Monday at a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Egypt was hopeful about a proposal for a truce and the release of hostages, but awaiting responses from Israel and Hamas.

“We are hopeful the proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides, has tried to extract moderation from both sides, and we are waiting to have a final decision,” Shoukry said.

A Palestinian official close to mediation efforts told Reuters: “Things look better this time,” but declined to say whether an agreement was imminent.

Israel’s military operation to eradicate Hamas has killed at least 34,480 Palestinians and wounded 77,643, according to Gaza’s health authorities. It has displaced most of the Palestinian enclave’s 2.3 million people and laid much of the area to waste.

The campaign was triggered by the October 7 attack on Israel in which Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

The conflict has brought Gaza to the brink of famine, United Nations and humanitarian aid groups say, while reducing much of the territory to rubble and raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

High temperatures in crowded Rafah have turned makeshift shelters made from plastic tarps into sweltering ovens. The UN has warned of diseases spreading.

Source(s): CGTN