The Queen has said she is 'shocked and saddened' by the devastating tsunami which hit Tonga and her 'thoughts and prayers' are with those affected.
In a message to the nation's monarch Tupou VI, the Queen said she understood how 'incredibly difficult' it has been for Tongans after the Hunga-Tonga volcano violently erupted late Saturday, triggering a tsunami of up to 50ft which battered the islands.
The blast severed an underwater internet cable which has cut off communications to most of the nation's islands and the rest of the world, meaning updates have been few and far between.
Most people have not been able to use the internet or make phone calls abroad, though some local phone networks are still working.
Pictures have emerged on social media showing the scale of the devastation in Tonga following the tsunami. The island nation is facing imminent water and food shortages after crops and drinking sources were inundated with salt water and ash from a devastating volcanic explosion which triggered a 50ft tsunami, aid agencies have warned
Images shared on social media show the devastation caused by the the earthquake and tsunami
The Queen has said she is 'shocked and saddened' by the devastating tsunami which hit Tonga and her 'thoughts and prayers' are with those affected
The 95-year-old monarch said: 'I am shocked and saddened by the impact of the volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga.
'My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Tonga, as you work together to recover from the damage caused.
'It must be incredibly difficult for those who are unable to contact friends and family while communications are disrupted, and I hope that they will soon be restored.'
UN humanitarian officials report that about 84,000 people - more than 80 per cent of Tonga's population - have been affected by the volcano's eruption.
Officially, the death toll stands at just three with 'a number' wounded, but Tonga has not yet said how many people are missing.
UN humanitarian officials report that about 84,000 people - more than 80 per cent of Tonga's population - have been affected by the volcano's eruption. Pictured: The damaged area in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, on Thursday
Satellite image shows showed the rapid expansion of a volcanic cloud following an explosive eruption of the volcano
Some have gone to extraordinary lengths to survive the tsunami with a disabled Tongan man swimming for 27 hours across eight miles of ocean when he was swept out to sea.
Lisala Folau, 57 and a retired carpenter, was at home on Atata Island with his son and niece around 6pm Saturday when a 20ft wave carried them miles from shore.
Adrift and alone, he spent the next 27 hours swimming between uninhabited islands and trying in vain to signal passing boats before eventually reaching the mainland, where he was picked up by a passing car.
Lisala, who has problems with both legs that causes him to 'walk slower than a baby', decided not to call for help because he didn't want his son or niece to risk their lives trying to save him. Tragically, they are both still missing.
Speaking to Tongan radio station Broadcom FM about his extraordinary experience, Lisala said he was first warned about the tsunami by his brother.
He said the family rushed outside their house and climbed a tree in order to escape the wave, which washed underneath them.
Thinking the danger had passed, the family climbed down - but the island was then hit by a second wave, which Lisala estimates to be more than 20ft tall, which carried all three of them out to sea.
Stranded miles from shore, Lisala said he could not see his son or niece in the water because it was dark, but he could hear them calling out to him.
After a while his niece's voice stopped, but his son kept calling.
Lisala Folau, 57, a retired carpenter who struggles to use his legs, survived the Tongan tsunami by swimming eight miles in 27 hours to reach safety
Lisala's journey took him between several uninhabited islands off the coast of Tonga's main island, Tongatapu, before he eventually reached safety
