Tongans are struggling to find normality as they begin a week of new strict lockdown rules.
Tongans are struggling to find normality as they begin a week of new strict lockdown rules.
Matangi Tonga editor, Pesi Fonua Photo: RNZI / Koro Vaka'uta
Government departments, schools and most businesses are closed down, and the public required to stay indoors.
More than half of Tonga's Cabinet are in self-isolation after the Prime Minister tested positive for Covid-19.
On Friday, the government officially announced Tonga's first Covid-19 deaths.
These events come just over two months since Tonga endured the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami on January 15.
The disaster left more than 84 percent of the country covered with volcanic ash and the cost of recovery is estimated to be more than over $US90 million.
The Tonga Government estimates more than $US20m in damages to the agriculture sector although so far most crops appear to be unaffected by the acidity of the volcanic ash.
CEO of Tonga's largest agriculture exporter Nishi Trading, Minoru Nishi, said the challenging recovery is further compounded by Covid-19 lockdown restrictions which have made farms less accessible.
Nishi said he's concerned for the mental well being of his farmers who depend on their harvests to support families and many are paying off loans.
Editor of local news agency Matangi Tonga, Pesi Fonua, said that the disaster recovery process has been severely hampered by the Covid-19 outbreak that began in February.
Fonua said that the twin disasters have held back Tonga's recently sworn in government from formulating development plans because it had to focus entirely on recovery.