Relief efforts ramp up in Tonga, more aid arrives

A general view shows damaged buildings following volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tongatapu, Tonga, January 16, 2022 in this picture obtained from social media. Picture taken January 16, 2022. Malau Media/via REUTERS

(Reuters) - Humanitarian aid to Tonga is ramping up after the airport was cleared of ash, making it safe for planes to land, the Red Cross said on Wednesday, days after a volcanic eruption and tsunami devastated the South Pacific archipelago.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said that with the extra supplies, its staff and volunteers are stepping up deliveries of drinking water and setting up shelters across the country's many islands.