Tonga volcano: drinking water is priority as aid begins to arrive for stricken nation

The first aid vessels and flights have arrived and more are on their way as the devastated Pacific nation begins clean-up

Tonga's government said drinking water was the priority as the clean-up continued a week after a devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami.

A national emergency team had already distributed 60,000 litres of water to residents, the government said on Saturday. A desalination plant on a New Zealand naval ship that arrived on Friday, capable of producing 70,000 litres a day, has started drawing seawater from Tonga's harbour.