by KEVIN PAMBA
Chaos reign in Madang
The tsunami scare in Madang yesterday
tested the preparedness of a province described as “disaster
prone”.
And if indeed a tsunami headed this way, what a very deadly and
devastating disaster it would have been.
No one was prepared and no one in authority was in command to
quell what later turned out to be misinformation.
What happened yesterday for several hours, from 10.30am was
complete chaos with no authority in command to provide correct
information and direct the public.
The source of the hysteria was radio reports about an earthquake
measuring about 8.1 on the Richter scale that struck Solomon
Islands and a tsunami was triggered.
It was stated that Rossell Island was hit with parts of PNG in the
way of the waves. Word quickly spread through Madang town that a
tsunami was heading towards it.
One version of the story said the giant waves would hit Madang
town at 10am. Another version revised it to 3pm.
Between those time slots, absolute confusion and chaos reigned.
The provincial disaster office was caught by surprise. I drove to
the disaster office at 12.15pm and saw the acting director, Otto
Avorosi, with his only other full-time staff member frantically
answering phone calls from panic-stricken members of the public
and the National Disaster Centre.
I suggested they get on the phone to all radio stations to calm
the widespread panic and instill organised movement of people with
correct information.
Mr Avorosi said they had just been on the phone with the National
Disaster Centre and they were doing just that.
Mr Avorosi could only say that the earthquake was confirmed by the
Pacific tsunami warning centre in Hawaii and people have to take
precautions by moving to higher ground.
And that was what Madang residents had been doing since 10.30am.
I only learnt of the panic just after noon as I was driving to
town from Divine Word University.
The panic stricken public streamed through the campus on their way
to higher grounds as I drove out. The campus was also taken aback
by the story and the movement of people.
The Madang’s main street – Modilon Road – that links the town
centre with the rest of the town was jam-packed with vehicles
heavily-laden with people moving out.
Both sides of Modilon Road was a scene of two long queues of
people that extended from as far as the eye could see – all headed
in the one direction out of town towards the west.
With no official information and equally confused as everyone
else, I rushed to the Maureen Hill school to pick up my little
daughter and then drove straight to the provincial disaster office
several blocks away.
Outside the disaster office was a patient on a hospital bed still
on the drip. This patient was among other patients who had fled
the Modilon General Hospital on their own despite doctors asking
them to remain.
One of the doctors, Alex Piawe, later confirmed that patient and
even staff fled at will.
This was the scene across town as banks, businesses, government
offices and schools shut as people just vacated their workplaces
to their homes and onto higher grounds.
After getting the confirmed information from the disaster office,
I drove into Madang town at about 1.30pm only to find it deserted
with all offices and business closed for the day.
By about 3pm, I went back to the coastline only to find deserted
town, with people who got the information from radio stations
trickling back.
What happened in Madang yesterday calls for a disaster warning and
evacuation system since this is a “disaster prone” area.
People cannot be left to fend on their own what happened
yesterday, especially when this is a major tourist destination and
a educational town with many educational institutions and
supporting services.
