The Enga Provincial Administrator, Sandis Tsaka, said the Enga Provincial Government this morning deployed a Rapid Emergency Response Team to the landslide incident site in Mulitaka, Porgera-Paiela District, to assess the extent of the damages.
Tsaka conveyed heartfelt sympathies to the affected communities and families of the six villages in Mulitaka.
He said the Rapid Emergency Response team comprised of officers from the Provincial Disaster office, Enga Provincial Health Authority, Police, PNG Defence Force and Enga based International Organizations including International Office of Migration and UNDP.
The devastating landslide, which is being described as “unprecedented natural disaster”, occurred early hours of this morning, causing substantial damages to property and human lives, currently unaccounted for.
Tsaka said, "The Enga Provincial Government's immediate response is to compile a Rapid Impact Assessment (RIP) in order to mobilize relief assistance to the affected communities while establishing dialogue with the management of effected organizations including New Porgera Limited (NPL) and the National Government to work on opening the access road to Porgera that was substantially damaged and blocked.”
"Not only the National Government and NPL, but we also calling for support from other organizations towards helping the victims of this disaster.
“We will provide further detailed reports on the damages including loss of lives and property when our disaster assessment team returns from the disaster site,” Tsaka added.