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1. Tonga was hit by a powerful volcanic eruption on January 15, 2022. The explosion from the underwater Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcano took place just 41 miles north of the country's main island, Tongatapu, and was the largest recorded globally since 1883.1 The ensuing tsunami and ashfalls caused extensive property, infrastructure, and agriculture damages, estimated at 19.2 percent of FY2021 GDP (excluding potential economic losses due to disruptions in economic activity).2 As a result, about 2 percent of the total population was displaced from their homes immediately following the disaster. The undersea fiber-optic cable to Tonga was also severed for nearly a month immediately following the tsunami, resulting in disruptions of telecommunication services and remittance inflows.3 The international community swiftly responded and provided essential humanitarian relief supplies, such as food, water supply systems, and vaccines, as well as emergency transportation and communication services.
2020 Article IV Consultation and Request for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Tonga
2020 Article IV Consultation and Request for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Tonga