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A collection of news-briefs from The Tonga Chronicle, Lao & Hia, Taimi 'o Tonga, Ko e Kele'a, Radio Tonga. For more details of these stories, feel invited to buy a paper from one of the locations mentioned in our media pages http://www.tongatapu.net.to/tonga/news/media/default.htm

Somebody nicked off with my papers, and then someone let loose the winds and the rains so everything got messed up and here's the latest news I could muster.

If you haven't been hearing from friends in Tonga, or are worried about what is happening here here's a little rundown of what has been overheard in conversations, radio broadcasts, and what has been seen on the streets.

Late Sunday evening, Cyclone Hina swept through the Tonga group flattening domiciles, crops and trees in its wake.

Vava'u - Calling friends in Vava'u, there doesn't seem to have been much damage in most areas of Vava'u.

Ha'apai - Wharfs on Lifuka and Foa sustained serious damage that the Ministry Of Works estimates will cost in the tens of thousands to repair. Heavy damages were received on coastal areas from Pangai to Foa where the Land Bridge between the two islands (Lifuka and Foa) has been closed. The torrential winds and waves have swept the boulders laid to hold them back onto the Land Bridge.

Tongatapu - From the news releases, it seems that Tongatapu has sustained the heaviest damages. Although no official mention has been made of casualties the hospital reports a number of people were brought in with cuts and bruises.

Utilities - the electric and water boards sustained serious damages to its infrastructure which effects business and residential customers. Power lines were brought down throughout Tongatapu causing a complete blackout Sunday night. The Tonga Electric Power Board has been working throughout Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday which has seen power come back for major government buildings as well as the Nuku'alofa Business District.

Some of the power lines have fallen down from trees uprooted and thrown at the power lines while it seems the more common fault have been a domino effect of one power pole going down and subsequently pulling down other power poles.

The power board a suffering a side effect problem with the lack of electrical power to power pumps. Without electricity, the water supply is very intermittent where one hour's power is supplied by some source allowing people to fill buckets for bathing etc. Those fortunate enough to still have water tanks will weather the power and water shortage a lot better than many on Tongatapu without water catchment facilities.

Telephone - the telephone service is suffering the same problems as the other utilities and where power poles have been torn down, the telephone cables strewn on the same lines have been ripped down. Although international and domestic services are still operating the downed lines means fewer payments from consumers at a time revenue is needed to pay for the increased work requirements.

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