PNGRC secretary general Esmie Sinapa said the disaster that struck in December in the coastal areas in Milne Bay, New Ireland, Manus, East Sepik, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, West Sepik, Madang and Morobe provinces, about 1 million kina was used to provide relief supplies to the affected people.
In her report on the disaster, Sinapa said the PNGRC received a report on its people on the ground on Dec. 8 about the sea swells and damages on the coastal areas of the islands and Mamose regions and parts of the Southern region.
She said the PNGRC sent out teams to assess the destruction and submitted reports for the relief operations to move into full swing.
“Assessment reports, logistics arrangements report and other information were collated daily that was used to guide the Red Cross disaster response. Without delay, the disaster response team began to coordinate the movement of its members and logistics with the National Disaster Center and the Provincial Disaster centers,” she said.
The PNG Red Cross Society is one of the leading humanitarian organizations in PNG. It is an auxiliary of the government in its humanitarian services.
According to its report on the sea swell disaster, 20,000 people were affected in New Ireland, with 1,200 families completely displaced by the high tides that hit their villages. It said 20 bales of mosquito nets and second hand clothes were provided for the victims.
The tides affected 20,000 people and displaced up to 4,000 who were provided relief supplies, while in East Sepik, 19,856 people were affected and up to 4,000 people were provided relief supplies.
In Milne Bay, 159 people were affected while in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, 1,630 people were affected and water tanks and other relief supplies were given to the people. In Sandaun, 482 people were affected while in Madang 259 people were affected. In Morobe 960 people were affected by the sea swells.
