Cyclone Gita: Tonga's Parliament flattened as category four storm lashes country
The Parliament building in the Pacific country of Tonga has been flattened after a powerful cyclone battered the main island, causing extensive damage.
Key points:
- Winds top 230 kilometres per hour
- No reports of deaths
- Cyclone heading for Fiji
- Hundreds of military personnel begin clean-up
With destructive winds of 230 kilometres per hour, category four Cyclone Gita ripped roofs from houses, brought down trees and caused widespread flooding.
"It was a terrifying night," Graham Kenna from Tonga's National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) told the ABC's Pacific Beat program.
"I have been doing disaster responses for 30 years and I think it's the scariest night that I've had. It was horrific.
"We're on the third floor of one of the safest buildings in Nuku'alofa and the building was shaking and getting pounded by debris from missing roofs."
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Cyclone Gita: Tonga's Parliament flattened as category four storm lashes country
Updated about an hour ago
Related Story: Tonga in state of emergency as Tropical Cyclone Gita heads for main island
Related Story: Tonga braces for category four Cyclone Gita
The Parliament building in the Pacific country of Tonga has been flattened after a powerful cyclone battered the main island, causing extensive damage.
Key points:
- Winds top 230 kilometres per hour
- No reports of deaths
- Cyclone heading for Fiji
- Hundreds of military personnel begin clean-up
With destructive winds of 230 kilometres per hour, category four Cyclone Gita ripped roofs from houses, brought down trees and caused widespread flooding.
"It was a terrifying night," Graham Kenna from Tonga's National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) told the ABC's Pacific Beat program.
"I have been doing disaster responses for 30 years and I think it's the scariest night that I've had. It was horrific.
"We're on the third floor of one of the safest buildings in Nuku'alofa and the building was shaking and getting pounded by debris from missing roofs."
Photo: The cyclone has caused widespread damage and flooding. (Twitter: @VDakaSini)
There are so far no confirmed reports of deaths.
But emergency authorities said about 70 per cent of the population had been affected and food and water would be a significant problem.
"Wind was blowing and we heard roofing torn and flying over, it was quite scary," NEMO director Leveni Aho told the ABC.
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