A cleanup has begun in Tonga after the island was hit by a tsunami and covered in volcanic ash at the weekend. The undersea volcano erupted on Saturday. Experts believe it was the world's biggest eruption in 30 years. It sent tsunami waves across to Japan and the U.S. It also destroyed large parts of Tonga. Islanders are now trying to restore their normal life. However, the ash is making this difficult. A lot of the recovery work cannot go ahead until the ash has been cleared. It has buried buildings and is also blocking many of the country's roads.

Tonga's government called the disasters "unprecedented". It said they have badly affected life on the island. There is no Internet because the eruption cut Tonga's underwater Internet cable. Engineers are trying to fix it. It is also difficult to fly aid into the country because of damage to the airport. Tonga is worried that rescuers may bring COVID-19 into the country. Tonga shut its borders in 2020. It said it was "covid-free" before the tsunami. It now fears international aid workers could bring a "tsunami of COVID-19" into the country.