At least two people have died following Saturday’s massive volcanic eruption in Tonga, the New Zealand government said on Tuesday.

The eruption triggered atmospheric shockwaves and a tsunami which travelled as far afield as Alaska, Japan and South America.

“We can confirm that Tonga Police have advised the New Zealand High Commission in Tonga that the confirmed death toll stands at two, including a British national,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

The Council for International Development (CID) said in a statement it was aware of one fatality – British woman, Angela Glover.

Glover’s brother, Nick Eleini, said the 50-year-old died while trying to save her dogs from the tsunami, Britain’s PA news agency reported.

Communication links are still down in Tonga due to the damage to the undersea cable, but efforts were being made to repair it, CID said.

“There is still no timeframe available for when communications will be restored,” it added.

Ships laden with critical supplies will leave New Zealand for Tonga on Tuesday.

A formal request for help from Tonga is yet to come, but Wellington announced it would move ahead with sending aid via the ships, which will take three days to reach the archipelago.

A flight over Tonga by the Defence Force the previous day found that ashfall on the Nuku’alofa airport runway needed to be cleared before planes could land, New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said in a statement.

“Communication issues caused by the eruption have made this disaster response particularly challenging.

“The delays mean we have taken the decision for both HMNZS Wellington and HMNZS Aotearoa to sail so they can respond quickly if called upon by the Tongan Government,” said Mahuta.

Surveying equipment and dive teams as well as a helicopter would travel on one ship, while bulk water supplies and humanitarian and disaster relief stores would be taken on the other, Defence Minister Peeni Henare said.

“Water is among the highest priorities for Tonga at this stage and HMNZS Aotearoa can carry 250,000 litres, and produce 70,000 litres per day through a desalination plant.

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“The survey and diving teams are able to show changes to the seabed in the shipping channels and ports.

“They will also assess wharf infrastructure to assure the future delivery of aid and support from the sea,” Henare said.

A Hercules plane was also on standby to deliver humanitarian aid and disaster relief stores including collapsible water containers, generators and hygiene kits for families once the airport runway is cleared.

“Other deployments are possible in the next few days, subject to Tongan Government requests and permissions, and COVID-19 border rules,” Mahuta said.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said there had been no contact from the Ha’apai group of islands following the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcano on Saturday.

OCHA said there was particular concern about two small low-lying islands, Mango and Fonoi. An active distress beacon had been detected from Mango. (dpa/NAN) (www.