AUCKLAND -- Within a day of the massive volcanic eruption that rocked Tonga and severed the archipelago's communications with the rest of the world, a handful of countries vying for influence in the region pledged financial aid.
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, 60 km north of the capital Nuku'alofa, blew up on Saturday, sending tsunami waves across the Pacific and shock waves around the world.
