Responding to the devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami waves in Tonga, Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) and Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) successfully unloaded emergency relief supplies at Fua’amotu International Airport in Tonga last week.
Peace Winds Japan and the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) formed an alliance during the relief program to help the affected people of Tonga after the volcanic eruption.
PWJ, an international humanitarian organisation founded in 1996 with headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan operates in more than 35 countries and regions, reaching more than 15 million people.
Currently it is operating in 19 countries and its budget in 2019 being approximately $US42 million ($F89.3m). A-PAD is a trans-national aid alliance that works to facilitate cooperation and understanding between governments, private companies and NGOs in the Asia Pacific region.
PWJ representative Simon Kondo said on the aftermath of the volcanic eruption, the organisation learnt about the Tonga Community Development Trust (TCDT) that happened to be in New Zealand at the time of the eruption.
“We were able to make contact with them soon after the disaster and from there both organisations started panning the relief effort to Tonga,” he said.
He said the aid had undergone a 72 hours quarantine period and was to be distributed by TCDT in collaboration with other relevant organisations.
“The relief items will be available to be delivered to the most vulnerable households in Tongatapu, Ha’apai and ‘Eua in a timely manner,” he said.
“The small aircraft, owned by PWJ and A-PAD, departed from Osaka, Japan on February 8 and arrived in Nadi on February 13. “It made two round trips between Fiji and Tonga.”
He said the team used a Gulfstream Commander 695 Jetprop (JA8600) aircraft. Items flown included one set of 3-ply surgical face mask (2000-piece), one set of water purification tablets (85pcs), 23 sets of family evacuation kits, one set of white coverall (100pcs), one set of isolation gown (100pcs), one set of KN95 mask (1080-piece), one set of face shield (200pcs), one set of latex hand gloves (100pcs) and 2 sets of hand sanitisers (96pcs).
He said the rest of the relief items that consisted of 177 sets of family evacuation kit were shipped to Fiji on February 18.
“The family evacuation kit comprises of a 16 litre water purifier, 4kg rice, and 4kg sugar, three tin fish in oil, one litre cooking oil, 5pcs of anti-bacterial soap pack, medical face mask (50pcs) and two hand sanitisers (200ml). These items were procured and packed for transportation in Fiji.
“PWJ and A-PAD have long been co-operating in variety of disaster relief programs around the world such as earthquakes in Nepal (2015), Lombok (Indonesia 2018), and Hualien (Taiwan, 2018),” Mr Kondo said.
He said with the experiences put together, they were able to collect information immediately after the disaster, develop communication with local partner organisation and managed to come up with the list of relief supplies in high demand especially in the remote areas where people tend to be left behind.
Mr Kondo said the aircraft, Gulfstream Commander, has been used by PWJ and A-PAD during past disasters in Japan to transport medical and rescue team or transport patients from remote area, such as small islands, to the mainland.
“Though it was the longest flight our aircraft has ever experienced, we managed the flight safely and on time.
