Europe gives more cyclone relief to Tonga Featured
13 March, 2018. The European Union is allocating a further $US360,000 in humanitarian funding to Tonga for communities affected by Tropical Cyclone Gita.
Gita hit Tonga a month ago as a category four cyclone, leaving widespread destruction, particularly to the country's agriculture sector.
The EU gave an initial $US120,000in post-cyclone assistance to Tonga last month.
A European humanitarian aid operations expert was also deployed to take part in a rapid assessment of the situation.
According to a statement from the EU's regional office in Fiji, the assessment indicates there are still many humanitarian needs to be addressed.
It said many Tongans lost their homes and sources of livelihoods as a result of Gita, and the extra funding would help them get back on their feet.
This comes as Tonga's government announced that a state of emergency, in force for the past month, will be extended for four weeks.
-RNZI
1 comment
-
WHERE DO CYCLONE GITA'S RELIEF FUNDS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES GO? It's been a month and no signs of relief help given to the people who are most in need. Australia and NZ gave thousands of dollars to help restore electricity, but we are still paying high fees for Tonga electrical repairs. Now the EU has up the ante on their monetary relief help to Tonga, but no signs of relief help to rebuild peoples' damaged homes.
WHERE IS THE BEEF? Who in this greedy government is hording the funds that should be going to the people who need them? Just like the last relief fiasco for Ha'apai disaster 4-5 years ago. Much of the relief funds and supplies never got to the people who needed them the most.
Same old story? Friends and kau pone of government leaders are the only ones who are enriching themselves while the ordinary Tongans still go without.