No Chinese hurt in tsunami-hit Tonga

SUVA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Tonga has not received any report of Chinese being hurt in a recent tsunami that has hit the island country, the Chinese Embassy in Fiji confirmed to Xinhua on Tuesday.

According to the embassy in Suva, the safe report covers the Chinese people living on the country's main island Tongatapu and the diplomatic staff in the embassy in Tonga. The embassy building on Tongatapu remains safe as well.

The main island is covered with thick ash all around with many houses being damaged and businesses impacted, said the embassy in Tonga, which had been cut off contact with the outside until Monday evening.

After a series of violent eruptions from underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, 65 km north of Tongatapu, tsunami waves hit the island country on Saturday evening.

So far, two people have died in Tonga after the violent eruptions. Serious damage has been reported from the west coast of Tongatapu, with a state of emergency declared.

According to Radio New Zealand, the island nation's death toll is likely to rise and the true extent of casualties there is not clear.