After the eruption of a submarine volcano, the clean-up work is now underway in Tonga.

“The entire island of Tongatapu is covered with ash from the eruption.

All roofs and all houses, the royal palace, the ministries, the seat of government are all covered with ash," German Honorary Consul Carl Sanft told the FAZ on Monday from the island state.

It is impossible to remove so much dirt by hand.

"We would need a heavy downpour to get the streets, the leaves and all of that clean," Sanft said.

In order to prevent damage to health from inhaling the volcanic dust, the government has recommended wearing masks.

According to the Honorary Consul, the schools should reopen in a week.

Till Fähnders

Political correspondent for Southeast Asia.

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According to the authorities, 84 percent of the approximately 105,000 residents have been affected by the ash fall and tsunami caused by the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano. The fields are also covered with ashes. According to Radio New Zealand, equipment is needed to work in the fields to ensure food supplies and boats to enable fishermen to go out to sea. An entire village had been destroyed on one of the smaller islands, the honorary consul said. "The tsunami carried their houses from side to side," says Sanft. "These people are fishermen, they live from fishing." Many of them have now been brought from the Ha'apai archipelago to the main island. "They say they never want to come back."

The honorary consul himself was on the Vava'u archipelago further north in Tonga at the time of the eruption. On the day of the eruption there was a huge bang, "much louder than a clap of thunder". After that, most of the residents fled to higher-lying areas. Shortly thereafter, the ash had already covered the islands. "The sky was dark and black," said Soft. Unlike many other residents, the boss of a trading company was lucky because his house was not hit by the tsunami.

Communications with Tonga remain limited except for a few phone lines.

It will take weeks to repair a damaged submarine cable.

According to Sanft, planes have already landed with relief supplies from Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand.

Military ships brought drinking water.

He will now submit a situation report to the German embassy in Wellington and ask for German support.

"I've asked the Tonga government to tell me what they need most," Sanft said.