Nuku'alofa, Tonga: The devastation that followed the 8.3 magnitude earthquake that hit American Samoa this morning has also claimed lives in the small northern island of Niuatoputapu in Tonga.

Unconfirmed reports from the capital, Nuku’alofa say five are dead and six more missing from tsunami waves that struck the island early this morning.

“This is still unconfirmed but the government’s disaster council has chartered a flight, which left this afternoon to Niuatoputapu to go and assess the situation, said Vuvui Fotu, a senior journalist with Radio & TV Tonga.

Ms Fotu told PACNEWS that communication with the island was cut off around 10am this morning.

“Unconfirmed reports seem to suggest that five percent of all the buildings on the island have been destroyed.

“The aerial survey is expected later this evening with a fuller report on the extent of the damage and casualties, Ms Fotu said.

Niuatoputapu is located in the north of the country, 300 km away from Vava’u near the border with Samoa.