The OCHA said there had been no contact from the Ha’apai group of islands and there was "particular concern" about two small low-lying islands - Fonoi and Mango, where an active distress beacon had been detected. The Pacific archipelago was blanketed in ash and volcanic ash clouds spread to countries thousands of kilometres to the west. The uninhabited volcanic island of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai all but disappeared following the blast, according to satellite images from around 12 hours later. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Register Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in the update on Monday, reporting only minor injuries but emphasising that formal assessments, especially of the outer islands, had yet to be released with communications badly hit. "Further volcanic activity cannot be ruled out," the U.N. Initial reports suggested no mass casualties on the main island of Togatapu, but two people were reported missing and the capital Nuku'alofa was badly damaged, as were resorts and homes along the island's western beaches, it said. SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - A distress signal has been detected in an isolated, low-lying group of islands in the Tonga archipelago following Saturday's massive volcanic eruption and tsunami, the United Nations said, prompting particular concern for its inhabitants. Ash clouds from eruption moving towards NZ, Australia.Two people, one of them British, reported missing.Red Cross says 80,000 people could have been affected.Australia, NZ send reconnaissance flights to Tonga.
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