Latest News from Vava'u Island Group, Tonga
21st December 2009
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Nuiatoputapu Relief Oct 08 2009
To say that Vava’u & the visiting yachts, the land based traveler and the business community came together is an understatement. As we are all aware a tragic event happened in Samoa with an earthquake, then a tidal tsunami, which in turn travelled towards us all, it was very frightening to those who were in areas that the tsunami affected directly, let alone those who had to just wait and see what was happening.
After the tsunami passed we thought we were very lucky to be spared with little damage to the outer islands in the Vavau’s archipelago, the news took a while to filter through that our sister island, the Nuiatoputapu, had been hit, 9 people had lost their lives, many were homeless, afraid and without shelter.
As a community we get together with the visiting yachts, travelers, locals and started to organise monies, food, clothing, water, shoes, toy, tools & much much more really anything we could get together for relief to the Nuia’s. This was put in place through our local information net on VHF, with drop zones at many businesses and a main collection point to be the local governor’s office. Money was also collected and used to buy shelter and building equipment to help in the erecting of temporary shelters. SV Gannet was the first to offer to make the trip to assist in the clean-up and transport supplies to the island and join with other yachts who were in the area at the time of the disaster, as this unfolded we were shocked and worried.
As a collection point Café Tropicana turned into a exciting, crazy world of boxes, bags, plastic bags, all busting at the seams with donations of goods to go to the aid of others, my heart was swollen with pride and love for those who opened there boats, cupboards, suitcase, I am sure some of the yachts in the harbor are much lighter now, SV Cosmos must be a tardis….
So we then had to wait on a ship to take all these wonderful boxes, packed full of goodies to the people in need, a phone call comes in, Gray from Chatham’s Pacific called to say they could help, so all hands on deck, driving about town to find out if we can get into the storage on a Sunday morning early and pack as many small boxes into the truck and take it to the awaiting plane, with help from the staff at the governor’s office and a two handy strong lads, Greg & I head of to the airport in convoy with Brent form Niu Pacific, Martin from Moorings & the governor’s truck, then it was unpack, weigh and hope, we took to the airport close on 900 kilos of donated goods, with the help of pilot Mike, we were able to send 600 kilos.
At this point more is still coming in for the relief fund, including donations of fuel and fuel drums. These in turn were delivered with some of the remaining 300 kilos of donated goods an board the SV Kudana, at the helm Bob & Dawn, who are presently in the Nuia’s, as a change of guard.
SV Tortuga & SV Panucea, were who we addressed the cargo to, and with the help of other yachts in the area and local people they were able to get aid to 27 families who had lost their homes, as well as many others in the community, this aid was gratefully accepted. In this situation we have learned how people who do not even know each other are able to work together and help others in need, I am thankful to be a part of this and grateful to all those who helped in any way to assist in the providing of aid to the people of Nuiatoputapu.
Thank you to everyone, with sincere heart felt thanks, Lisa Molloy, Café Tropicana, Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga
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