Military flights sent to assess damage from Pacific volcano

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand and Australia have military surveillance flights to Tonga to assess the damage a huge undersea volcanic eruption left in the Pacific island nation. A towering ash cloud since Saturday’s eruption had prevented earlier flights. New Zealand hopes to send essential supplies, including much-needed drinking water, on a military transport plane later Monday. Communications with Tonga remained extremely limited. The company that owns the single underwater communications cable that connects the island nation to the rest of the world said it likely was severed in the eruption and repairs could take weeks. The loss of the cable leaves most Tongans unable to use the internet or make phone calls abroad.