Huge lines of residents in one of Australia’s island neighbours have been forced to line up for hours in queues that stretch back kilometres as the nation endures yet another crippling fuel shortage.
Tonga has endured shortages for months, leaving residents unable to get to work and even bringing public transport like buses and taxis to a halt.
It comes after Opposition Leader Sussan Ley last week warned Australia’s declining fuel reserves have become “dire”.
One resident in the capital Nuku’alofa told Yahoo News the crisis is “severely disrupting” life in the capital city.
Tutu’ila Sugar, 28, hasn’t been able to get to work or even do grocery shopping since she ran out of fuel a week ago.
Before attempting to drive to the petrol station, she put her drone in the air to see what the queues were like. That’s when she saw hundreds of cars lining up from all directions.
“I am shocked by how prolonged and unresolved this crisis has become,” Tutu’ila said.
“Streets that are normally busy now lie almost empty, showing just how paralysed daily life has become.
“The crisis is also hitting businesses hard, with restaurants and shops sitting empty, unable to serve customers, and I’m sure the local economy is affected by this.
“Experiencing such a severe fuel shortage for such an extended period is ridiculous and unacceptable.”
Reduced storage capacity causes severe shortage
Locals have reported people sleeping in their cars as they line up for fuel, and cars that have blocked roads due to running out of fuel.
Tonga’s two main fuel suppliers Total Energies and Pacific Energy have both been upgrading their storage facilities, Prime Minister Dr ‘Aisake Valu Eke told PMN.
This has reduced storage capacity, and combined with a stranded fuel vessel, it has led to the severe shortage.
An emergency fuel shipment arrived in Nuku’alofa on Monday, possibly sparking the rush of vehicles to the petrol stations. As of Wednesday morning, the situation on Tonga’s main island is “almost” back to normal.
The same can’t be said for its northern island group, Vava’u, where fuel supply is still extremely limited.
The crisis is impacting businesses, who can’t get staff to work and can’t get customers in the doors. Students can’t go to school, and public transport has been brought to a halt. Source: South Seas Photography ‘Dire’ fuel situation facing Australia
The images are a stark warning, as Ley last week called out Australia’s own storage capacities for falling short of its international fuel reserve obligations for the best part of a decade.
As a member of the International Energy Agency, it is required to have 90 days worth of key fuels, including petrol, diesel and jet fuel.
Experts have long warned Australia should boost its stockpiles, but holdings have only declined, with the latest official figures putting petrol reserves at 28 days, diesel at 25 and jet fuel at 20.
Addressing a think tank in Melbourne last Thursday, Ley cautioned that without urgent action, the country could collapse in the event of an attack.
“What this means is that store shelves will go bare, essential transport will stop, and vital services will grind to a halt — to say nothing of the impact on our ADF,” she said.
“Politicians and defence strategists alike need to understand that unless we address this issue, the resolve of the Australian people to endure the hardships that come with conflict will evaporate.
“If people can’t get groceries to feed their families, buy medicine and pharmaceuticals, or reliably access essential services, then what hope do we have?”
with AAP
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