16 Sep 2014

Tongan authorities meet amid Ha'apai water crisis

3:37 pm on 16 September 2014

The National Emergency Management Committee is meeting in Tonga to arrange a response to the water crisis in Ha'apai.

Radio Tonga has reported more than 40 percent of water tanks in Ha'apai are running out of water after a lack of rain.

However the Red Cross Secretary General Sione Taumoefolau says the problem is much worse.

"The information, what we have at the moment, is that 80 percent of the water has been gone so only 20 percent left at the moment but I think the government and also the Red Cross we will be trying our best to supply whatever is the need for the people of Ha'apai."

Mr Taumoefolau says his organisation is sending water tanks today.