Death toll RISES as desperate Papua New Guinea continues to be ROCKED by HUGE earthquakes
THE huge earthquake that rocked Papua New Guinea last week has left many regions still cut off as the government declares a state of emergency.
By THOMAS MACKIE
Express.co.uk
Sat, Mar 3, 2018
Last Monday a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the heart of the island near the Southern Highlands area.
More earthquakes have continued to hit the island in the aftermath of the initial hit.
The most recent one was recorded at 10:38pm on Friday at a magnitude of 4.8.
The Red Cross estimated that 2000 people are in need of urgent emergency supplies.
The death toll climbed to 31 and is set to continue to increase.
A state of emergency was declared in the provinces of Southern and Western Highlands, Hela and Enga.
Extra funding has been given by neighbouring countries and aid organisations including the Red Cross.
Around 670,000 people live within 100 km of the epicentre, according to the Red Cross.
Most of the other confirmed fatalities were in or around the provincial capital of Mendi and the town of Tari, 40km from the epicentre.
Hela province’s administrator, William Bando, said: “Our people live in scattered hamlets and people are dying slowly – the only means of rescue is through helicopters and they are hardly coming.”
Papua New Guinea’s prime minister, Peter O’Neill, called the earthquake “an unprecedented disaster” and said his government had released funding to restore essential public services such as healthcare, schools, roads, airports, power and communications.
He added: “Cabinet has further approved the establishment of a restoration authority that will manage long-term reconstruction efforts over a four-year period to fully restore normalcy.”
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