Earthquake Response – Papua New Guinea (as of 6th March)
Following the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that hit Papua New Guinea on February 26th and the many strong aftershocks, MAF PNG has been working hard to bring relief, supplies and medical assistance to those affected. Below are the latest information and some stories sourced from our team on the ground, as of 6th March 2018.
Information received concerning circumstances within the affected areas
- Earthquake damage has been identified as far east as Maimafu
- Areas hardest hit are south of Moro
- In Golgobip, Olsobip, Tekin areas, while people are a bit shaken from the incident, they do NOT need any assistance or aid
- In Tari, the main damage is to the public infrastructure – power and telecommunications, and in particular the roads. There are lots of damaged properties too. The hospital in Tari is operational, but activity is being limited to emergency cases relating to earthquake injuries. The hospital has limited food for patients, which is expected to last just 2 weeks. Medicine supplies are limited. The road from Tari is blocked, and existing fuel supplies are limited. Access to Tari and Komo is only possible by small light aircraft and helicopter. Immediate needs in the area are for shelter, water containers and food supplies.
- Some opportunist activity has begun, with some demanding payment for road access, and some looting has occurred.
- In Mendi, the public infrastructure is damaged, and the school has suspended classes due to two classrooms and one dormitory having sustained significant structural damage. The Provincial Administration building has also incurred significant damage. Rain is exacerbating problems, causing soft soil which in places is beginning to give way. A temporary care centre has been set up at the foot of Mount Bosavi, where people have gathered and await assistance. There is a need for water, food and shelter. Access to Mendi airport is restricted to light aircraft and helicopters.
- The effect of landslides includes a drop in water levels in creeks and rivers downstream, while upstream there is a risk of flooding.
- Dodomona had another landslide in another quake on 4th March. It is reported that 11 people died in the landslide.
- In addition to the Australian military plane, some flying is being done by SDA Aviation. NTM Aviation and SIL Aviation have also offered to assist.
Programme and Disaster Response Update
- Quote from the PNG Defence Force Lead: ‘MAF will pretty much determine which direction resources go as they currently have the most information.’ In the words of MAF’s Sharlene Coker, ‘Basically, no one else knows where we need to send help or which should be prioritized.’
- One of our C208s flew to Bosavi and Muluma today (5th March) with relief supplies donated by the community.
- Sunday 4th March MAF flew 5 kits that were donated by Mt. Hagen businesses. 1 went to Walagu, 2 to Bosavi and 2 to Muluma. Each kit that weighs about 190kg that includes: Tinned Fish, Tinned Pork, Rice, Bottled Water, Blankets, Tarps, Buckets with lids, water containers, bush toilet set, water tank and collection tarp.
- Additional staff are being mobilised to support the MAF programme in its disaster response, including Sally Lloyd and Anton Lutz who will be working on the GPS coordinate mapping of village locations to help prioritize airstrips for deliveries.
- 700kg of tarpaulins have been organised for delivery to Nadzab airport. The Australian military plane will pick them up and take them to Moro.
Tech Services (CRMF)
- Groups working to respond to the disaster have been advised that communications can be distributed via MAF’s Technical Services (CRMF) team on HF radio, with announcements being made up to hourly if needs be.
- One such message that has been sent out on the 5th March is that Mt. Bosavi is NOT going to erupt. Fear and rumour were circulating that this might happen, but there is no evidence to support this. People were fleeing to the airstrip, which is actually in danger of a river flooding.
Delivering Water and Supplies
Thanks to Mt Hagen businesses, MAF Papua New Guinea were able to send out a relief flight on 5th March to take bottled clean drinking water and food as well as two water collecting drums and pit toilets each to Muluma and Bosavi.
The people lost their gardens and rivers are dirty and not safe for drinking water. The tarpaulin water tank kits will help the communities to collect rain water.
People are still afraid of the many aftershocks they feel. On 5th March at 6am another 6.0 earthquake apparently caused damage and loss of lives at Dodomona.
Pictures below are from the Mt Hagen base when the cargo arrived and was loaded, from unloading at Muluma and Bosavi. Pilot Mathias Glass was explaining how to set up the water collecting kit and the toilets.
Surveying Earthquake Damage
When doing the relief flights to Muluma and Bosavi on March 5th, we spotted this little hamlet near the Hegegio River on our way back.
Please pray for these people who most likely must have lost some houses and even family during the earthquake according to the landslide we spotted from above. We’ve seen them waving to us and tomorrow a helicopter is going to check on these people.
Disaster Response Coordination
MAF PNG’s Flight Coordinator, Sharlene Coker, is trained in disaster response procedures and has been coordinating work between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other interested organisations. Her workload is high, intense and stressful. Pray that the Lord will give Sharlene, and others involved, wisdom and strength.
Supply Coordination and Delivery
On March 6th, the Mt Hagen based Tininga business group brought 50 bales of 20kg rice, 100 cartons of bottled drinking water and 10 tarpaulins to the MAF cargo shed. The MAF Operations Team is going to make sure these supplies get flown to different communities most affected by the earthquake. Thank you to those who donated.
To support MAF’s Emergency Relief efforts please donate here: https://maf.org.au/png-earthquake/
