Australian minister says Tonga suffered ‘significant damage’ following volcano eruption

Zed Seselja says there are no reports of mass casualties but more will be known once assessment flights return to Australia and New Zealand

Australia's minister for the Pacific, Zed Seselja, says initial reports suggest no mass casualties in Tonga following the eruption of a volcano that triggered a tsunami, but Australian police have visited beaches with significant damage and houses thrown around".

Australia and New Zealand sent surveillance flights on Monday to assess the damage after Tonga was isolated from the rest of the world when Saturday's eruption blanketed the Pacific Island with ash.