‘Smeared from Tonga’ promotes aid after tsunami and seeks news of father

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Known in Brazil after the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, taekwondo athlete Pita Taufatofua, the “greasy Tonga”, is one of the many people who have not been able to get in touch with family members on the islands of his country, located in the Pacific Ocean and which was strongly affected by the eruption of a volcano in the region — as a consequence of the seismic phenomenon, it also suffered a tsunami.

Taufatofua gained fame on social media for the clothes she wore at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games ceremonies. He is the son of the governor of the Ha’apai Islands (a group of islands in the Tonga archipelago), who was there when the waves hit the coast of the country and with whom he has not been in contact since. His family lived in a house near the coast.

The athlete created a virtual crowdfunding, which until the afternoon of this Tuesday (18) had already raised more than 390 thousand Australian dollars (the equivalent of more than R$ 1.5 million).

On his social networks, he has organized the fundraising campaign and compiled news about what is already known about the damage caused by the volcano, in addition to trying to help those who are also unable to contact family and friends.

Taufatofua has also released images of the eruption, its effects, and published messages such as “from the ashes we came and from the ashes we will rise”.

The real impact of the eruption is not yet known, as it also caused the downfall of internet and telephone lines. Satellite images, released on Tuesday, help to show some of the damage on the islands.

Satellite images show magnitude of tsunami impact in Tonga

The port facilities in the country’s capital, Nukualofa, on 29.Dec.21, before the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano and the tsunami, and this Tuesday, 19.Jan.22- – Maxar Technologies / Reuters

Houses in a neighborhood of the Tongan capital Nukualofa before the eruption and tsunami, on 29.Dec.21, and this Tuesday, 18.Jan.22

The British newspaper The Guardian reported that the New Zealand mission captured areas of ash-covered forest and many landslides on the islands of Tongatapu and Kolomotua.

According to the Reuters news agency, the images also show “catastrophic” destruction on the island of Atata and “from extensive to catastrophic” in Fonoifua, Niniva, Nomuka and Mango. Tonga has 176 islands, 36 of which are uninhabited.

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