In aid of the Tonga relief effort, $22,500 was raised from the Cook Islands Red Cross Society radiothon on Friday afternoon from 12pm-6pm on Radio Cook Islands.

The funds will be directed to the Tongan Red Cross, who will conduct its distribution to families throughout the islands of Tonga in the aftermath of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano that erupted last Saturday. The eruption caused a tsunami on Tonga’s largest island, Tongatapu, with waves recorded at 1.2 metres near Nuku'alofa.

Cook Islands Red Cross Society secretary general Fine Tuitupou-Arnold is Tongan and was overwhelmed to finally to speak to her 79-year-old mother on Thursday in Tonga “for the first time since the volcanic eruption and tsunami”.

“My mum is safe and well, and for the first time she said she was scared and that everyone was scared and shocked,” said Tuitupou-Arnold.

Tuitupou-Arnold said she was very touched by the generosity of the people of the Cook Islands in raising $22,500 for the people of Tonga.

“It way surpassed what I had expectated given the current situation of our economy and Covid.”

She is very grateful to all those who donated, to the Mama’s and Papa’s who came into the studio to deliver their donations despite the weather, and to the people in the Pa Enua from as far as Penrhyn and Rakahanga

“You can feel they were touched…”, Tuitupou-Arnold said.

“As we all know if there is any disaster in the Pacific, the people in the Cook Islands always come forward and give,” she added.

Thousands of people in Tonga have been displaced from their homes and are in need of food supplies, fresh water and shelter. 

Hundreds of Tongans in Auckland have donated care packages to families affected by the eruption and the tsunami.

Tuitupou-Arnold is also appreciative and thankful to Aunty Nga Teao-Papatua and Maria Tuoro for their time assisting the radiothon.