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Cyclone Gita flattens Tonga’s parliament building, moves towards Fiji

The Polynesian island kingdom of Tonga in South Pacific was ravaged by a Category 4 tropical cyclone on 12 February…

Cyclone Gita flattens Tonga’s parliament building, moves towards Fiji

This handout photo taken and received from Jamie Motu'apuaka on Facebook on February 13, 2018 shows a damaged building at the Parliament House in Tonga's capital of Nuku'alofa after Cyclone Gita hit the country. Nuku'alofa awoke to scenes of devastation on February 13 after the most powerful cyclone ever recorded in the Tongan capital tore roofs off buildings, downed powerlines and caused extensive flooding, prompting a state of emergency in the tiny Pacific nation. (Photo: AFP PHOTO/JAMIE MOTU'APUAKA)

The Polynesian island kingdom of Tonga in South Pacific was ravaged by a Category 4 tropical cyclone on 12 February which left homes flattened, trees uprooted and power lines damaged. Cyclone Gita was the strongest in 60 years to hit the island, which is a favourite among the tourists.

The cyclone brought strong winds, storm surge and torrential rain to the main island of Tongatapu, which is also the location of the kingdom’s capital Nukuʻalofa.

 

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Among the buildings flattened by the approximately 233 km/h winds of Cyclone Gita was the 100-year-old Parliament building in the capital city, the pictures of which became the symbol of the devastation caused by the cyclone.

Most of the houses destroyed were older constructions. An estimated 40 per cent of all the houses in the capital have been smashed by Cyclone Gita.

 

Cyclone Gita Tonga
This handout photo taken and received from John Pulu from Tagata Pasifika on February 13, 2018 shows flooding and damage in Tonga’s capital of Nuku’alofa after Cyclone Gita hit the country. (Photo: AFP PHOTO / JOHN PULU / John PULU)

 

Though many were left injured, no lives were lost in the kingdom. The Cyclone has moved away from Tonga and is passing through the south of Fiji.

 

Tonga had declared a state of emergency and set up evacuation centres before Cyclone Gita hit.

“The wind was terrifying. It was roaring overhead. We could hear roofs being lifted,” a witness told Radio New Zealand.

Nearby island of Samoa (the US), too, was flooded due to rains brought by the Cyclone. Red Cross workers were seen helping people in distress and carrying out assessments of the damage.

 

Red Cross Samoa
(Photo: Twitter/@hannarosebutler)

Tonga is made up of more than 170 islands, and is located in the Pacific Ocean east of Fiji and north of New Zealand.

Cyclone Gita, which has been upgraded to Category 5, is now heading towards Vanuatu and New Caledonia – islands lying to the northeast of Fiji. New Zealand, which has donated $5,45,000 in aid to Tonga besides providing emergency relief, is carefully watching the movement of the Cyclone out of fear that it might hit the islands in a week.

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