Ministry of Lands, Spatial Planning and Natural Resources
Mālō e lelei
Kingdom of Tonga
Understanding the earth beneath Tonga
The Natural Resources Division studies earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and the rocks and land of our islands, so communities can stay informed and stay safe.
HYDROLOGICAL DROUGHT ADVISORY – 28 OCTOBER 2026
Current advisory
What the colours mean
Hihifo: Red, Level 3 (severe).Nuku'alofa Greater Urban Area: Orange, Level 2.
Please conserve water and report leaks or supply concerns to your village water committee or water supplier.
Any mandatory restrictions will be announced separately. Read the full advisory
This division contributes to the promotion of a diverse economy by stimulating economic growth through the responsible use of our natural resources. This includes water, ocean, land, minerals and aggregates. It also supports the protection of the environment by ensuring sustainable management of our natural resources and by supporting responsible development.
Latest news
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Our newest updates on earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunami, water and coastal work are posted on our Facebook page.
Effective advice on the status of geohazard activities and the potential threats to the islands of Tonga. The section also provides wide sector awareness on the causes and behaviour of geohazards, how to respond, and evacuation plans, to reduce risk and deaths in each disaster event.
What this involves
Advice on the status of geohazard activities
Advice on potential threats to the islands of Tonga
Awareness of the causes and behaviour of geohazards
Sustainable management of deep seabed minerals and petroleum hydrocarbons. The section also gives advice on investments in this high-risk sector, which has high revenue potential for economic growth, and ensures that maritime boundaries are agreed with neighbouring states.
What this involves
Sustainable management of deep seabed minerals
Sustainable management of petroleum hydrocarbons
Advice on investments in a high-risk, high revenue potential sector
Supporting economic growth
Ensuring maritime boundaries are agreed with neighbouring states
Sustainable management of water resources, and effective advice to stakeholders on the impact of climate change. This includes increased rainfall intensity causing floods, and prolonged dry spells thinning the groundwater lens, so that resilience to negative impacts is strengthened.
What this involves
Sustainable management of water resources
Advising stakeholders on the impact of climate change
Understanding floods caused by increased rainfall intensity
Understanding how prolonged dry spells thin the groundwater lens
An integrated approach to the management of coastal areas, to ensure the sustainability of coastal resources such as construction aggregates. It also gives effective advice to stakeholders on the impact of climate change, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion, storm surges and inundation, so that resilience to negative impacts is strengthened.
What this involves
Integrated management of coastal areas
Sustainability of coastal resources such as construction aggregates
Advising stakeholders on the impact of climate change
Understanding sea level rise, coastal erosion, storm surges and inundation
Strengthening resilience to negative impacts
Quarries and aggregates at a glance
Construction aggregates come from quarries across the Kingdom. These charts show the share of quarry sites by status and the share of quarry Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) completed each year.
Quarry development status62 quarry sites
Active51.6%32
Closed41.9%26
New proposed4.8%3
Postponed1.6%1
Quarry EIAs completed by year22 EIAs, 2019 to 2025
20194.5%1
202018.2%4
202127.3%6
202222.7%5
202318.2%4
20244.5%1
20254.5%1
Percentages of the total. Sources: Quarry Update and Quarry EIA records, Natural Resources Division.
Sand aggregate, year by year
Sand is sold from Tongatapu beach sites and issued free for funerals. Sales fell from 1,726 tonnes in 2017 to about 530–610 tonnes a year since 2021, while funeral sand requests have risen to a high of 297 in 2025.
Sand sold per yearTonnes, 2017–2026Funeral sand requests per yearNumber of requests, 2017–2026
Full yearPart year (months shown under the bar)
Source: monthly Sand Aggregate records, Natural Resources Division. 2023 and 2026 cover January to September. The price rose from T$34.50 to T$103.50 per tonne in 2024.
Home›Projects›Strengthening Resilience of the Water Resources Sector
GCF Readiness Project
Strengthening Resilience of the Water Resources Sector
Green Climate Fund Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme for the Kingdom of Tonga
About us
The Strengthening Resilience of the Water Resources Sector to the Impacts of Climate Change in Tonga Project (TON - RS - 009), supported by the Green Climate Fund, was launched in July 2023. Currently, the project is overseen by the Natural Resources Division (NRD) under the Ministry of Lands, Survey, Planning, and Natural Resources (MLSPNR).
Access the Tongatapu, Ha'apai & Vava'u village groundwater dashboard through the link below:
Reports and publications from the Natural Resources Division.
Reports & publications
NEWAdvisory · Natural Resources Division · 28 October 2026
Hydrological Drought Advisory
Hihifo: Red, Level 3 (severe hydrological drought). Freshwater lens thickness at the assessed monitoring boreholes fell from 5.0 m in June to 0 m in September, a significant risk to affected village freshwater supplies.
Nuku'alofa Greater Urban Area: Orange, Level 2 (drought warning). Freshwater lens in the assessed supply field fell from 11.3 m to 7.1 m. Conserve water and prepare for possible supply pressures.
Please conserve water, repair and report leaks, and report supply concerns to your village water committee or water supplier. The Hihifo finding applies to assessed monitoring locations; any mandatory restrictions will be announced separately.
Based on June–September 2026 groundwater monitoring
Tonga National Sustainable Spatial Management Framework (NSSMF)
A national approach to spatial planning, approved by Cabinet. It guides future development, infrastructure investment and climate adaptation across the Kingdom, from the National Spatial Plan down to Regional (Island) Spatial Plans.
The Natural Resources Division (NRD) of the Ministry of Lands, Spatial Planning and Natural Resources, Kingdom of Tonga.
Who we are
This division contributes to the promotion of a diverse economy by stimulating economic growth through the responsible use of our natural resources. This includes water, ocean, land, minerals and aggregates.
It also supports the protection of the environment by ensuring sustainable management of our natural resources and by supporting responsible development.
We study earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and the rocks and land of our islands, so communities can stay informed and stay safe.
Our four sections
Geohazard Services
Advice on geohazard activity and threats to the islands of Tonga, with awareness on how to respond and evacuation plans.
