A Rotorua resident was on a video call phone with her sister in Tonga when she heard the "loud boom" of an eruption and saw darkness descending as her sister panicked — before the connection cut out.
Rotorua Pacific Islands Development Charitable Trust manager Mata Mafileo was video calling her sister in Tonga and heard the "loud boom" of the eruption.
Mafileo saw it starting to get dark and her sister told her it seemed to be clouding over, showing them the ash falling from the sky.
Mafileo was with two others, including her mother, trying to calm her sister down, pack an emergency pack and get inland.
The network suddenly cut off and, as of yesterday, Mafileo had not been able to reach her.
"I can't sleep at night," she said.
Mafileo was busy either checking for updates or trying to call any family, hoping each time the network would be working again.
She said she and the other Tongan families in Rotorua were struggling not being able to hear from their relatives.
Multicultural Rotorua president Margriet Theron said there was a "substantial" Pacific Island community in Rotorua so all the community would somehow be affected.
Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano in Tonga erupted on Saturday. Photo / Tongan Navy
She said it was an "absolutely shocking" event, especially given the number of natural disasters that have impacted the island.
Her thoughts were with all families affected, living in Tonga and in New Zealand.
Lano Fonua lives in Tauranga and works as the Tongan International Rugby Team manager. His family, except for his brother, remain in Tonga.
Fonua was at dinner with his wife when his mother, Tongan journalist Mary Fonua, messaged him saying the "waves were coming" and it was "pretty bad".
His mother told him that they would stay put and not evacuate as the roads were already underwater.
At this stage, he didn't know the scale of the disaster, but neither he nor his brother could get through to her.
"I was worried because there was no communication. I didn't know if it got worse or if there were more waves ... if the eruptions are going to continue."
Lano Fonua (left) with his children, twins Emi and Tui, and Siale, and his brother Finau. Photo / Supplied
Fonua said an old school friend living in Tonga was somehow able to contact him through her work's internet and let him know his family was safe.
"It was a massive relief," he said, however the lack of communication was difficult.
"You feel real helpless not being able to do anything, you just have to wait ... you can't get over even if you wanted to," he said.
He said it sounded like there was a lot of damage that he suspected would be a "tough recovery", with the nation still recovering from a cyclone not long ago.
He said he was "amazed" at the support from the New Zealand public and the Government.
Te Puke resident Anne Le'ota said her Tongan-born late husband had a large extended family who lived there but she hasn't been able to reach them which had been "really hard and scary".
"I have also talked to five other local families and none of them have heard a thing from their relatives either.
"We're praying and hoping for good news."
She said watching the images of the eruption and the impact of the tsunami was "so scary".
Lano Fonua (left) the last time he was in Tonga with his family, with his mother Mary (right). Photo / Supplied
For her and the other families, not being able to be there to comfort their loved ones was "heartbreaking" and the unknown was "worrying and frightening".
Kiwifruit company Seeka has 60 Tongan Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) working for them.
Corporate services general manager Kate Bryant said all these staff chose to work yesterday and the business was providing pastoral support.
Bryant said they were working with staff to determine what they needed.
