A huge volcanic eruption has hit the island of Tonga.
The South Pacific nation of Tonga has been devastated by a volcanic eruption.
The internet cable that connected 100,000 people to the rest of the world was severed by the explosion.
Blue skies filled with ash clouds and loud bangs of the earth can be seen on the streets of the main island.
Many terrified locals began to pray in the most Mormon nation in the world.
The details of the explosion are on a biblical scale.
The nation of Tonga is very religious. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the Mormons, is the majority religion on the islands.
The US religious group has been a leading presence on the islands for over a century, since Western missionaries arrived in the late 19th century. The number of Church members per capita is highest in Tonga.
In the aftermath of the disaster, the Church has taken a prominent role in offering essential shelter and resources to the people of Tonga.
Members of the Church's congregation in Atata, one of the Tongan islands, before the volcano's eruption.
The church is an important part of island life. Shops and businesses are closed on Sunday in honor of the day of rest.
The locals were in a state of crisis after the disaster. The morning after saw soot raining from the sky, leaving a black film of black volcanic ash across the land.
Elder Inoke Kupu, the Church's most senior ecclesial figure on the island, said that there is only one color in the island.
The central role of the church.
The diplomatic missions of Australia and New Zealand and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are some of the few channels of information coming out.
The Church's chapters in New Zealand say they've been getting all their information from daily satellite phone calls with Elder Kupu, who's been leading the Church's aid and recovery effort on the main island.
The Church said in its update that drinking water is the immediate need.
The Liahona High School is one of six Church schools on the island.
There was a deadly tsunami in Tonga.
Richard Hunter, a spokesman for the Church based in New Zealand, said that people are sleeping in schools and churches and then going back during the day to clean up their homes.
He said that people are relying on that function of the church despite the fact that there have been a few less people each night.
Thousands of masks have been given to residents to help them breathe.
The church has a temple in the capital.
The Church had a store of 50,000 masks in case Covid spread to the remote nation. Instead, it was hit by a different wave. Many coastal areas have been devastated by the waves.
Only the church was standing.
Efforts are still being made to locate people in the aftermath of the eruption. There is no way to get in touch with the outer islands, even though phone communications have been restored.
One of the Church's senior leaders is on board one of the naval vessels that set off from the capital.
The Church says it has about 135 missionaries in those outer islands. There are still many people who are not accounted for.
Mr Hunter said that there was one happy story of survival from Tuesday.
The tiny island of Atata, which has a population of less than 100 people, was flagged as one of the islands of greatest concern by both New Zealand and Tonga.
When the volcano erupted, almost all of the homes on the island were destroyed. Everyone was able to get to the chapel house in time.
"Everyone on the island stayed in the church building and were safe, but every other building we understand was destroyed, except for this one in the middle of the island," Mr Hunter said.
The Church's meeting house was the only building left on Atata island.
He said that the Church's properties are built as strong as they can be, because they are in a dangerous part of the world where a storm or earthquake can happen every few years.
"So our members know they can go to their nearest church when the wind is very strong, to take refuge from the storms of life" - in this case, both in a spiritual and physical sense."
The residents of Atata were successfully evacuated to the island.
The aid being sent by governments and the Red Cross is being held up by the damage to the air and sea ports, but Mr. Hunter said more air cargo shipments of water, masks and phones are on the way from the Church's chapters overseas.
The Church wrote on its website that church leaders are working with government officials to support humanitarian efforts.
Church services this coming Sunday will be home-based and will include a request for a return to normal from the Mormons.
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