able to fulfil that. days after the hunga tonga hunga ha apai volcano erupted, there s still so little information as to the scale of its impact. for now, the international aid community can only prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. gareth barlow, bbc news. let s speak now to our philippines correspondent, howard johnson. howard, what do we know about the scale of destruction in tonga? well, new zealand s air force gave us that well, new zealand s air force gave us that pictures and they have been released us that pictures and they have been released to us that pictures and they have been released to the media today, of the destruction in most parts of tonga. it destruction in most parts of tonga. it isn t destruction in most parts of tonga. it isn t as destruction in most parts of tonga. it isn t as bad as people thought, but the it isn t as bad as people thought, but the western side of the main isiand but the western side of the main island has but the western
tonga has only registered a single case of covid 19, and is determined to keep the virus out of the country. we have seen that the airport and most we have seen that the airport and most part we have seen that the airport and most part of the main island, with the capital most part of the main island, with the capital is, is covered in volcanic the capital is, is covered in volcanic ash. so, unfortunately, this will volcanic ash. so, unfortunately, this will require a lot of clean up. here in the uk, the family of a british woman swept away by the tsunami say her body has been found. 50 year old angela glover ran a dog sanctuary in the tongan capital, and was reportedly killed as she tried to rescue one of her animals. she was living on the beach and she was living her dream. you know, she always wanted eh, to live, you know, in a place like tonga, and was so proud that she she was able to fulfil that. days after the hunga tonga hunga ha apai volcano erupted, there s still so lit
aid being loaded in sydney destined for tonga. but exactly what assistance tongans need is farfrom clear, after the eruption severed a vital undersea communications cable. images captured from aircraft sent by new zealand and australia, do offer some insight, showing coastlines covered in ash and volcanic rock floating on the ocean. and also these. 0f and also these. of the hunga tonga hunga ha apai volcano before and after its mammoth eruption. the damage doesn t seem to have been as catastrophic as we had first imagined that it might be, but there s still widespread damage, particularly to the western part of the main island. and we re looking forward to hearing from those outer islands closer to the blast site. alongside struggling to contact the tiny south pacific nation, the aid effort will be made doubly difficult by the coronavirus.
drinking water is one of the first main issues of priority for the people in tonga. here in the uk, the family of a british woman swept away by the tsunami say her body has been found. 50 year old angela glover ran a dog sanctuary in the tongan capital, and was reportedly killed as she tried to rescue one of her animals. she was living on the beach and she was living her dream. you know, she always wanted, eh, to live, you know, in a place like tonga, and was so proud that she she was able to fulfil that. days after the hunga tonga hunga ha apai volcano erupted, there s still so little information as to the scale of its impact. for now, the international aid community can only prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. gareth barlow, bbc news. katie greenwood from the international federation of the red cross has been co ordinating their response
the huge underwater volcano let loose, sending a cloud of ash and rock 20 kilometres high and nearly 500 kilometres wide. that s an ash cloud that could stretch from london to edinburgh. somewhere beneath it is the tiny island kingdom of tonga. the first thing to hit the island was the shock wave. then came the rushing waters of what appears to have been a thankfully small tsunami. in new zealand, prime minister jacinda ardern said communication with tonga remains difficult, but the situation is now calm. we need to finely balance the need to get there quickly, but to make sure we also get the people and resources they need there as well. in some cases, we have parts of tonga where we ve just not been able to establish communication. the hunga tonga hunga ha apai volcano has been active