A massive underwater volcano near the South Pacific island nation of Tonga erupted on January 15, triggering an earthquake and tsunami.
This disaster is the strongest volcanic eruption of the 21st century. Tonga's capital looks like the surface of the moon! Small islands have been destroyed! Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister Poasi Tei has declared a state of emergency nationwide.
The island of Tonga is currently covered in volcanic ash, and undersea network cables and telephone signals are down. It will take at least two weeks to restore communications.
According to the latest reports, Tonga's first death has been confirmed and the body has been found.
The woman, Angela Glover, 50, is a British citizen who lives with her husband, James, on the coast of Tonga's capital. Because of her love for dogs, Angela founded an animal welfare association in 2015, providing shelter and rehabilitation services for stray dogs. James runs a tattoo shop, employing and training Tongans.
After the volcanic eruption, a massive tsunami struck. The couple returned home to rescue their dog, Angela, but she was tragically swept away by the waves and perished.
James survived by managing to cling to a tree on the shore.
Shortly after the tragedy, James found his wife's body. Of the five dogs swept away with her, only one survived.
Just days before her death, Angela shared a picture and text on Instagram about a beautiful sunset, exclaiming: "How spectacular the sunset caused by the volcanic eruption is! Everything will be alright."
Unexpectedly, this became the last message left behind by this brave and loving British woman.
Upon learning of Angela's passing, her sibling Nick Eleini flew from their home in Australia to the UK to reunite with her family. "I can't put into words how we feel right now. It's horrible... and so shocking. We still can't accept that this happened to us. We're just a normal family, and this kind of thing never seemed like it would happen to us, but unfortunately, it did."
"About six hours ago, when I was stopping in Dubai, I received confirmation of death. I had previously been told that the search and rescue operation was still underway. But I later learned that James had finally found Angela; she was lying quietly in a thicket."
“I know this terrible accident happened while they were trying to rescue their dog. Angela and James love their life in Tonga and admire the Tongan people.”
He paid tribute to Angela: "She was truly beautiful, like a ray of sunshine. When she walked into a room, she would light up the whole room. She loved her life, whether she was working in London or after she realized her lifelong dream of living in the South Pacific."
“We are so proud of what she has accomplished in Tonga in such a short time, starting a business and creating a wonderful life there. She especially loved animals—the uglier the puppy, the more she loved it. She was just a lovely girl, the center of our family, and now… our hearts are broken.”
PS: According to the Chinese Embassy in Tonga, there are approximately 1,000 Chinese nationals in Tonga. No Chinese citizens have died on the main island, but a few have been injured.
