SAINTS centre Konrad Hurrell has thanked all well-wishers for their concern following the devastating volcano and tsunami in his native Tonga last Saturday - but he today had some good news.

With communication links destroyed, Hurrell had been unable to contact family back home to check that they were safe.

However, today he has announced that he now been in contact with family and declared that all are safe.

He tweeted: “Appreciate all the messages and love. Finally got through to my family and they are all ok.”

 

Saturday’s eruption showered the islands of Tonga with ash and triggered a tsunami causing utter devastation.

It will now need a massive clear up and rebuild operation to restore the country.

The news and images filtering out have been harrowing, then made worse by the breaking down of communications. 

Yesterday, before Hurrell had been able to make contact back home, Saints coach Kristian Woolf paid tribute to the way the club’s three Tongan players Ignatius Paasi, Will Hopoate and Hurrell had handled the news.

"They all have really close connections back in Tonga and, in Koni's case, he spent the majority of his life growing up there and that is what he knows as home,” Woolf said.

"They have dealt with it exceptionally well and I say that because it’s really tough circumstances for them, knowing that there is a tragic situation but not being able to have any contact whatsoever with any of their family.

“I know they have got a lot going on and have a lot of worries there, but they've been able to come to work, put a smile on their faces and train really well and put that aside.”