Australia’s Tongan community are anxiously waiting to hear from their loved ones after a 1 in 1000-year volcanic eruption over the weekend.

An Australian surveillance flight will fly over parts of Tonga, assessing the damage caused by the volcanic eruption and tsunami.

Rev. ‘Mata’ Havea Hilia Hiliau told Ben Fordham there’s still no communication available with people in Tonga.

Her sister lives on the foreshore in Tonga, and she hasn’t heard from her since the eruption.

“We are praying that the whole people of Tonga are safe.”

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University of Auckland Volcanologist Professor Shane Cronin camped on the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano for a week after its last series of eruptions in 2015

He told Deborah Knight the recent eruption was expected.

“We know small scale eruptions are continuing at the moment.”

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Image: Nine News