The Tonga NDRMO has installed five tsunami evacuation signboards across ʻEua Island.
Two boards now stand in Tufuvai and three in ʻOhonua, marking safe routes and assembly zones. The initiative is part of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction campaign to raise public awareness and speed evacuations in a crisis.
This move aligns with Tonga’s legal framework under the Disaster Risk Management Act 2021 and supports the Multi-Hazard Early Warning Policy 2024–2030. According to NDRMO, the campaign echoes Tonga’s commitment to “Strengthen Communities for a Safer Tonga.”
Tsunamis struck key parts of Tonga in 2022 after the eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai. In ʻEua, some resorts were destroyed and dozens of homes were damaged. The event highlighted the need for clearer signage and better evacuation planning.
Tonga’s national tsunami strategy has long required signposting of evacuation routes in coastal communities. But implementation has been uneven across islands.
Community leaders on ʻEua say locals and visitors will now benefit from clearer visual cues during warnings. NDRMO plans to monitor and review the signboards, and may extend similar installations to other vulnerable islands.
