Aftershocks causing new landslides and damage

By Malum Nalu in Mt Hagen
THE 6.7 magnitude aftershock on Wednesday morning caused more landslides and destruction to properties in areas still reeling from the earthquake, according to the Missionary Aviation Fellowship.
The airline has been delivering relief supplies and evacuating the sick and injured in remote areas since the Feb 26 earthquake.
Vaughn Woodard, who is part of the MAF’s international disaster response team, told The National in Mt Hagen yesterday that some remote parts of the border between Western, Hela and Southern Highlands had been badly affected.
“We flew aid out to Huiya and to Wagalu. The Seventh Day Adventist Aviation flew aid into Donamona,” he said.
“Aid was delivered into these places and our flight crew was able to observe a lot more fresh landslides.
“There were people hurt and we flew three people back on a medical evacuation flight for the injuries that they sustained.
“There are great needs out in that part of the country. And because it’s so remote and there are no roads, aviation is the easiest and best way to reach these communities.” Amid the gloom, there was a heart-warming story of a community who thought a family of eight had perished in a landslide “but they turned up a couple of days later, safe and well”.
“There has been loss of lives and that information is being coordinated by the various ward councillors and passed on to Government,” he said.
“We hear the stories but we haven’t got the statistics.”