Tsunami-hit Tonga’s oiled-up Olympic flag bearer Pita Taufatofua raises over US$340,000 in disaster aid
- Pita Taufatofua created an online fundraiser for ‘those most in need’ the same day a massive volcanic eruption struck his small island nation
- The athlete rose to prominence after baring his chest and slathering himself with oil while in traditional Tongan dress during the Games’ opening ceremonies
The flag-bearer who represented Tonga at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 2018 Winter Olympics, and 2020 Summer Olympics has raised more than US$340,000 in relief funds for the country to recover from a recent tsunami and volcanic eruption.
In a description on the fundraising page, Taufatofua wrote that while there was only a “trickle of information” coming out of the country, “inevitably there will be a catastrophic financial cost to our little country”.
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Tonga still cut off from outside world after massive undersea volcano eruption
There have been at least three deaths in connection to the Tongan tsunami and volcanic eruption so far.
The athlete’s father is also the governor of Ha’apai, a group of islands in Tonga.
Why Tonga’s volcanic eruption was so violent, and what to expect next
Taufatofua wrote in an Instagram post that his family living in Ha’apai are safe, though he has not heard anything from his father or his family on the island of Kotu.
The flag bearer has continued to share updates on the state of the island nation on his GoFundMe and Instagram, including when new deaths are reported or missing people are located.
Taufatofua is currently training in Australia. He represented Tonga in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics as a taekwondo athlete and in 2018 as a cross-country skier.
