Americares responds to Papua New Guinea earthquake

reliefweb.int

Stamford, Conn. – March 14, 2018 – An Americares emergency team is headed to Papua New Guinea where more than 270,000 people are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance in the aftermath of a 7.5-magnitude earthquake.
The full extent of the damage is still unknown more than two weeks after the Feb 26 earthquake.
Aftershocks, landslides and blocked roads are hampering the relief efforts.
Local officials are reporting at least 125 people have died and tens of thousands have been forced from their homes.
Survivors desperately need medicine, tarps, blankets, food and water, according to the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team.
 Those displaced include traumatised survivors afraid to return home due to aftershocks.
“Our first priority is ensuring survivors have access to critical health services,” said Americares vice-president of emergency programmes Kate Dischino.
 “Once we have a team on the ground we will have a better understanding of the situation and the most urgent needs.”
Americares, a health-focused relief and development organisation, is prepared to deliver medicine and relief supplies and support the restoration of health services for survivors.
Emergency response experts from Americares offices in the United States and the Philippines will deploy this week.
Americares helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, increase access to medicine and medical supplies, improve and expand clinical services, prevent disease and promote good health.
 Its emergency response team responds to an average of 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year from earthquakes and cyclones to disease outbreaks and civil conflict.

Police update on earthquake relief efforts

Story by Police Media Unit

Major relief efforts are now underway following the major earthquake that struck Hela and the Southern Highlands provinces.

A massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Southern Highlands and Hela in the early hours on Monday,  Feb 26, and since then continuous aftershocks have been felt all over the two provinces.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police and Commander Highlands Western End Kaiglo Ambane, police have set up two Relief Operations Command Centres.

They are in Tari at the Curtain Brothers camp site and the other one in Mendi at Mendi Police Training Cell where officials are collecting reports and coordinating relief operations.

The worst-hit areas in the Southern Highlands are Mendi/Munhiu, Karins, Lai Valley, Kandep-Mendi border, Pangia and Nipa/Kutubu. 

In Hela , areas mostly affected are Komo-Margarima, Tari, Koroba and Mt Bosavi areas.

From the reports received at the command centres, 45 have died so far in the Southern Highlands and in Hela 80 people are confirmed dead. 

It is expected that the figure might increase once all people have been accounted for.

In addition, there were three major land slips at the sections of Mendi-Karinj Road, and Poroma and-Kutubu Road. 

Access to Kutubu was blocked but was cleared last Thursday. 

Mendi-Kandep Road is still blocked off and work is in progress to reopen the land. 

Debris of land slips from Mt Hagen to Mendi and from Mendi to Tari have been cleared.

A few cracks along the Highlands Highway have been secured to one-lane passage from Wara Agule to Mendi.

  Moreover, over 15, 000 people were reported displaced in the Southern Highlands. 

Most of those people were put into seven care centres – five at the Kutubu area and one each at Poroma and Mendi/Munhiu district.

 In Hela, total reported displaced is about 20,000 of which 16,000 from Komo area. 

Care centres are being set up around the air fields throughout the Hela Province.

Ambane said three secondary schools in Mendi, Nipa and Kutubu were badly affected by the earthquake and still remain closed. 

Mendi Nursing College and Kutubu Technical College also remain closed.

 In Hela, all schools are affected and remained closed.

Government officials sent to the districts are still making assessments and collecting data on deaths and destructions caused in the two provinces.

In Southern Highlands,  the Department of Works and the PNG Defence Force have made assessments on the roads and the clearing exercise is progressing well.

In terms of security, one PNGDF Platoon with two Sections of MS10 are on the ground in Mendi with other police Units throughout the province are assisting.

 “So far there are no problems with security in the Southern Highlands Province,”  Ambane said.

Security personnel in Hela include 45 PNGDF personnel, 17 Correctional Services officers and local police personnel.

Ambane said an additional mobile squad team was required in Hela. 

He said Provincial Administrator William Bando was seeking approval from the National Disaster Office for funding before engaging the squad.

ExxonMobil PNG supports reestablishment of healthcare in the Highlands

Story and pictures by ExxonMobil PNG

Port Moresby – Supporting the restoration of health facilities in the Highlands for the recovery of the communities is one of the ways that ExxonMobil PNG is supporting the nation’s relief efforts following the devastation of the earthquake on Feb 26.
ExxonMobil PNG managing-director Andrew Barry said: “Several of the health centers in the communities near our Hides Gas Conditioning Plant have been damaged or have been displaced following the earthquake.

ExxonMobil PNG managing-director Andrew Barry and company volunteers packing food supply to be sent up to Moro.

" In addition to assisting with delivering critical medical kits, we are helping with assessments and providing logistics support to the health workers, as relief agencies work to re-establish health services in affected communities.”
Meanwhile, deliveries of food, water supplies, tarpaulins for shelter as well as medical and hygiene kits continue for communities across the Highlands including Kutubu in the Southern Highlands, Hulia, Tari, Hayapuga and Komo in the Hela Province and Huiya in Western province.

ExxonMobil PNG volunteers packing food supply to be sent up to Moro.

ExxonMobil PNG has so far delivered over 20 tonnes of food and water, over 200 tarpaulins and 35 hygiene kits in addition to support for relief agencies that require transport for their workers to affected areas.
For the longer term, ExxonMobil PNG is planning to support the re-establishment of food gardens in a number of our project area communities, with its partners from the ANU Enterprise (ANUE), through its existing community livelihoods improvement program.
“Similar to healthcare, the re-establishment of food supplies for the community here is going to be important in the following weeks and months," Barry said.
"Our ANUE partners have indicated they will be looking to get back into the field shortly to help address the critical need to re-establish food gardens in communities near our facilities."

ExxonMobil PNG volunteers packing food supply to be sent up to Moro.

ANUE project-manager Owen Hughes said: “We have been working with ExxonMobil PNG and target communities in the Hides area since operations began in 2014 to address food security, vulnerabilities and income generation.
"To support the restoration of communities recovering from the earthquake, our teams are currently preparing to get into the field to assist them with initial planting materials so that they will be able to grow their own food again."
Plans by ANUE include issuing to some 2,500 families quick-growing corn seed that can be harvested within 100 days of planting, and the purchase and distribution of vegetative cuttings for longer-term staples like sweet potato and cassava.
ANUE will also be providing garden tools for people to cultivate their gardens again.
Said Barry: “ExxonMobil PNG is committed to supporting the long-term recovery of quake-impacted communities around the Hela, Southern Highlands and Western provinces and will continue working closely with relief agencies and the National Disaster Centre in its efforts.”

Four-year old Sosa getting medical attention at Moro clinic

Story and pictures by Oil Search Ltd

Four-year old Sosa Sammy hung on tightly to her dad as they disembarked from a helicopter at Oil Search’s Moro logistic base on Tuesday.

Young Soso Sammy with her dad at the Oil Search clinic at Moro.

She has just completed her first ever helicopter ride – a 15 to 20-minute flight from her Huiya village in Mt Bosavi – one of the worst hit areas by the February 26 earthquake.
Sadly, she was travelling with a fractured arm.
Sosa was evacuated to the Moro clinic by the Oil Search emergency medical response team who identified her injury during their visit, taking in food, other relief aid and medicine, as well as conducting on the spot medical assessments of patients at all locations they are visiting.
Oil Search to date has visited 24 villages and conducted on the spot medical treatments and health assessments.
According to Sammy, his family was fast asleep when their house, a traditional kunai grass thatched roof started shaking. Everyone panicked and ran out of the house, he himself jumping to the ground from the veranda.
Sosa was fast asleep and was left behind, but as the house continued to shake, she woke up and tried to find her way out.
She started calling out to her parents, as she tried to walk down the steps to them but with the continuous shakes, she lost balance and fell awkwardly, landing on her hands.
“She started crying in pain, calling my name,’’ Sammy said.
"Amidst all the panic and confusion, I went to find her and found her crying in pain.
 “I tried to comfort her and keep her steady, not knowing whether the earthquake would continue or not, at the same time trying to keep my family together. I felt totally lost and hopeless for my family.’’
The Oil Search emergency response team visited Huiya on Sunday March 11th but could not stay long due to bad weather. Sammy told the team about young Soma’s condition.
The team returned to Huiya on Tuesday
when the weather improved.
Sosa was administered some painkillers and advised to wait for the helicopter to arrive.
“Tenk yu Oil Search, na tenk yu long ol dokta na nurse ol kam lukim mipla na helpim Sosa. Sapos ol ino kam, mi no save long wanem samtin bai kamap long pikinini blong mi. (Thank you Oil Search, thank you to the doctor and nurse that came to see us and help Sosa. If they didn’t turn up, I don’t know what I would do with my child,’’ Sammy said in Moro.
Sosa is now recovering at the Moro clinic and will have a cast placed on her hand.

Oil Search’s Dr Alben Yama shows young Soso some pictures to ease her into a clinic environment, away and outside of her familiar surroundings at Huiya village.

Oil Search has now visited more than 80 villages dropping of relief aid and providing medical assistance where required.
The company’s Moro clinic has attended to more than 166 patients, with seven evacuated to Port Moresby and five to Mendi and Tari respectively.

Israel sends generators to Papua New Guinea after deadly earthquake

by JNS, breakingisraelnews.com
March 13, 2018

“I will bless those who bless you And curse him that curses you; And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you.” Genesis 12:3 (The Israel Bible™)

In the wake of a devastating earthquake in Papua New Guinea, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs  Agency for International Development Cooperation has delivered 40 electricity generators to affected communities there.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Papua New Guinea’s prime minister Peter O’Neill in an Oct. 15, 2013 in Jerusalem.

Photo by: Photo by Kobi Gideon/GPO/FLASH90

The generators were delivered on March 8 by Yaron Sultan-Dadon, Pacific Islands adviser at the Israeli Embassy in Australia.
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Feb. 26 left 100 people dead and cut off electricity to 150,000 residents. Israel was one of the first countries to send aid.
Then on March 8, the country was rocked by a 6.8 magnitude aftershock.
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill thanked Israel for its friendship and support.
“Relations between Papua New Guinea and the State of Israel are strong, and our government and the people of PNG appreciate the support and friendship of Israel during these challenging times,” he said.
“We look forward to further cooperation and the enhancement of the close ties between our countries and our peoples.”

United Nations supports Government of Papua New Guinea in its earthquake response efforts

Relief supplies are starting to be distributed in earthquake affected areas of Papua New Guinea, with water, food, shelter, medicine and the provision of health services identified as the priority needs.
“We are working closely with the Papua New Guinea government to coordinate the earthquake response to ensure that relief supplies and services meet people’s most pressing needs, and reach the communities that need them most,” said UN Resident Coordinator, Gianluca Rampolla, said today.
 Rampolla said a lack of information from affected areas and disparities in information that is available has been a challenge to coordinating aid efforts. However, the development of a draft response outline document by the PNG National Disaster Centre (NDC) with support from the UN is expected to address many of the challenges the response has been facing.
NDC acting director, Martin Mose, said all information relating to the earthquake and affected areas must be channelled through the NDC to be processed accordingly for an effective response.
“We need reliable information to make good decisions for an effective response, and we must continue to work together with partners to achieve this,” said Mose.
Over half a million people have been affected by the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck the Highlands region of PNG on February 26, destroying homes and infrastructure, triggering landslides, and affecting water sources.
According to the National Disaster Centre, 270,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance, however, this figure may rise as more information becomes available.
Enga, Gulf, Hela, Southern Highlands and Western Highlands provinces have all suffered damage, with Hela and Southern Highlands worst affected.
Out of this, 37,000 need urgent assistance.
Understanding the full extent of the impact of the earthquake in remote or mountainous areas is severely challenging as physical access to many affected areas remains limited.
The United Nations through its agencies and partners have distributed emergency shelter materials to 200 households in Southern Highlands and Hela provinces. Bottled drinking water mobile water purification units, water storage tanks, and food packs have also been distributed by partners.
The UN has also sent vaccines to Hela, Southern Highlands, Enga and Western Highlands provinces, which will be used to immunise infants and pregnant women, to prevent an outbreak of disease.
A health emergency team visited Hela and Southern Highlands provinces last week to provide immediate medical assistance, assess damage to health facilities and plan for the rapid resumption of life-saving health services.
Safe spaces for vulnerable women and young girls are being established, and dignity kits are being distributed.
Last week, a team of emergency experts from the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) deployed to PNG following the Prime Minister’s declaration of a State of Emergency, to assist the PNG Government in assessments, response coordination, logistics and information management.
The team will deploy to Mt Hagen, Mendi and Tari on Tuesday Tuesday, March 13,  to augment the Government-led response coordination.
“The UNDAC is working closely with the NGOs and UN agencies who are in the field, and are supporting the provincial administration to strengthen the response to get aid to those who need it as quickly as possible in a highly challenging operating environment,” said Rampolla.
Situation updates from the PNG Disaster Management Team Secretariat are available here:
https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/papua-new-guinea/document/papua-new-guinea-75-earthquake-situation-report-1-10march2018
-United Nations

Papua New Guinea – Australia partnership helping to restore power across the Highlands

 Papua New Guinea and Australia are working together to restore critical power supplies across parts of Southern Highlands and Hela provinces following the devastating 7.5 magnitude earthquake.
Working closely with PNG Power Ltd, Australia has provided up to A$400,000 (just over PGK1 million) for the purchase and delivery of 10 80kva transformers that are needed to restore power across parts of Hela Province and Southern Highlands, which have a combined population exceeding 750,000.

Carolyn Blacklock, acting Managing Director of PNG Power Ltd, Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis, Hela Governor Philip Undialu and Southern Highlands disaster committee co-ordinator and representative of the Southern Highlands Governor’s office Dr John Kuimb during the handover of new generators.

The transformers will see reliable power restored to some 3,500 PNG Power customers, including businesses, health clinics, schools and family homes.
Power is critical to businesses across the region.
PNG Power estimates that the economic impact of the power outages caused by the earthquake already exceeds K4 million in losses to local businesses.
Hospitals and schools across the region are also reliant on reliable power supply to maintain their normal operations.

Hela Governor Philip Undialu and Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis with the new generators before they were transported to parts of Hela and Southern Highlands provinces.

The new ABB transformers were delivered by a Hevilift ATR freighter aircraft to Mt Hagen on Saturday.
Immediate transit on to Mendi and Tari was arranged via helicopter to ensure the transformers could be delivered as rapidly as possible.
 PNG Power is now working to install the transformers in locations across the two provinces in order to re-establish reliable power supplies to critical infrastructure.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill welcomed the close partnership with Australia to support communities impacted by the earthquake.
“Papua New Guinea welcomes Australia’s response to provide humanitarian relief and essential infrastructure to those most in need. This reflects our true partnership,” he said.
Carolyn Blacklock, acting managing-director of PNG Power Ltd, was pleased by the rapid response.
“This was an excellent collaboration between PNG Power Ltd and Australia, with valuable assistance from Cardno and Hevilift," she said.
"Close teamwork has enabled us to respond very rapidly to restore the power network at a time when it is most needed."
Australian High Commissioner  Bruce Davis noted Australia’s commitment to supporting PNG in this difficult time.
“Australia will support Papua New Guinea’s efforts, both in the initial humanitarian response and in future reconstruction efforts, in the wake of this terrible disaster,” he said.
“We are very pleased to have been able to provide this immediate support to PNG Power to reconnect businesses and communities across the region.
"This effort is a very powerful example of what we can achieve when we work together.” - Story and pictures by Australian High Commission