380 of Manam’s worst-affected victims get relief supplies

By DOROTHY MARK
ONLY 382 out of the 4769 people affected by the Manam volcanic eruption on Saturday received relief supplies yesterday.
The 382 were from the worst affected villages of Dangale and Kolang.
They had been relocated by Bogia MP Robert Naguri to Zogari village which has been used as a temporary care centre.
Villagers from Baliau, Kuluguma, Boda and Yassa plus some from Bokure villages did not get anything because there was not enough for everyone. But they were expecting more supplies to arrive yesterday.
Local-level government president Kenny Boli said the rations would benefit the 94 families from Dangale and 70 from Kolang – a total of 382 people.
Boli expected the supplies to run out in a week. “Other villagers that missed out are beginning to complain and I don’t know what to tell them,” he said.
Percy Arek, from the International Organisation of Migration, said they had supplied clean drinking water.
It is understood that the Madang provincial government was arranging more food to be sent to the people on the island.
The first lot of supplies were contributed by business houses in Madang town.
The Madang provincial government’s rations would be delivered to those who missed out on yesterday’s distribution.
Boli said 170 bales of rice, 32 bales of flour, 15 cartons of cooking oil and 14 cartons of canned fish were distributed to the islanders yesterday. Meanwhile, some islanders were having diarrhoea, coughing and vomiting.