Tonga is reeling after a devastating volcanic eruption that caused a tsunami and left the island nation shrouded in ash and without internet service to coordinate urgent clean-up and relief operations.

The Tongan government said Tuesday at least three people were confirmed dead after the eruption on Saturday and that some islands were heavily damaged by tsunami waves that neared 50 feet. Every home on one outer island with a few dozen residents was destroyed, and only two houses remained on another, home to about 100 people, officials added.

There were few updates on the eruption until now because an undersea cable was severed in the eruption, cutting off the internet and many domestic phone calls, the government said. Officials were only able to reach outlying islands hit hard by the tsunami on Monday using satellite phones.

The huge eruption estimated by NASA to be about 10 megatons didnt appear to cause the widespread devastation feared in some heavily populated areas. Officials are primarily worried about heavy levels of ash that have fallen over many islands and the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many people remain unaccounted for after the eruption due to the limited communications networks.