Half of the homes of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the path of a violent tropical cyclone that struck Tonga over the weekend were destroyed or damaged, according to a church release.
Tropical Cyclone Ian lashed the island kingdom over the weekend with winds that reached 178 mph, making it a Category 5 storm — the most destructive. The cyclone ripped through the Ha'apai island chain, destroying most of the homes in some areas, the Associated Press reported.