SAN DIEGO (KGTV)— Tongans living in San Diego are desperately waiting for any word from their relatives back on the islands after this weekend's volcanic eruption. The blast cut off most of the country's communication.
The Veimau family has dozens of relatives and friends back in Tonga. They have not been able to communicate with any of them since Saturday and don’t know if they have food, water, or other things necessary to survive.
Most of the family lives in a village called Lapaha and some live just minutes from the shore.
Some Tongans have been able to make contact with relatives around the world and report volcanic ash-fall and cleanup underway due to the tsunami waves.
A former Tongan Olympian has now set up a GoFund Me page to collect money to help with the rebuilding process. The Veimau family says they’re confident the islands will recover.
There haven't been any reports of any mass casualties or the extent of the damage on the islands but that’s because communication has not been restored.
If you’d like to donate to the GoFund Me page, click here.
