Qld dad tells: ‘I was Face-timing my son when the tsunami hit’

Mosese Sitapa was doing a video call with his four-year-old son in Tonga as the volcano erupted. He hasn’t been able to reach him since.

A Queensland-based father faces an anxious wait after losing contact with his four-year-old son in Tonga when an undersea volcano erupted.

Tonga has been cut off from the rest of the world after an underwater volcano launched ash 15km into the air and prompted a tsunami on Saturday, leading to devastating flooding on the main island.

While no deaths or injuries have been reported, communication with the country is limited due to damage to an undersea cable.

Mosese Sitapa faces an anxious wait to find out the fate of his son and mother. Picture: 9News

He says he is praying and crying for the best. Picture: 9News

Mosese Sitapa was on a video call with his son Elone when the tsunami smashed through their home in the Pacific island nation on Saturday.

Mr Sitapa, who works for Tonga’s military, said he tried to warn his family a tsunami was coming after seeing images of big waves on social media. But the warning came too late.

Mr Sitapa was on a video call with his son when the eruption hit. Picture: 9News

“I just talked to him and he kept playing with his toys. It was so sad,” Mr Sitapa told 9News.

Mr Sitapa is one of tens of thousands of Tongans in Australia nervously awaiting news from their homeland. Repeated attempts to contact his son and mother in Tonga have failed.

“I light up a candle and then keep praying, crying,” Mr Sitapa said.

He said his last words to his son were “just be safe”.

It comes as a military plane out of Australia is set to depart once conditions ease on Monday morning, with a P3 Orion flight from New Zealand already on the way to the country.

It’s hoped the missions will provide a clearer picture of the destruction caused to the outer islands.

Elone is only four. Picture: 9News

Mr Sitapa fears for his son and mother. Picture: 9 News

There is currently significant damage to property and roads in the western beaches region.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said both Australia and New Zealand were doing everything they could to assist.

“There’s been a lot of challenges there with the ash cloud and the disruption to communications and so we’re working together to give as much support to Tonga as we possibly can,” he told 2GB.

“They’re part of our Pacific family and we certainly will be obviously (supporting them) because of the eruption.

“What’s occurring has made it very challenging, but we’ll work through those issues.”