Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has offered an immediate Solidarity Grant to Caritas Tonga and is also receiving donations, through its Pacific Relief Fund, to help with the aftermath of the volcanic eruption in Tonga.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Tonga and especially with our partners and the communities with which we have been working for many years.

"Communications are proving very difficult at the moment but we were in touch with Caritas Tonga as recently as Saturday," says Caritas director Julianne Hickey. "Together we have completed the pre-positioning of emergency supplies at three locations in Tonga so are well prepared for this kind of eventuality."

The biggest concern at the moment is drinking water, which has been contaminated across Tonga by ash fall. The Tongan Government had approved drinking water distribution to Ha'apai (islands nearest the volcano) on Saturday morning, as the islands are majority reliant on harvested rainwater for drinking.

Donations can be made to Carita online through the Pacific Relief Fund (www.caritas.org.nz/donate-online) or via our bank account 03-0518-0211216-00 (please include first & last name and put Tonga as the code).

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