Agencies to assess quake damage

**Houses destroyed in Madang after the magnitude-6.7 earthquake. – Pictures supplied**

PRIME Minister James Marape has mobilised relevant Government departments and agencies to assess the extent of the damage caused by the magnitude-6.7 earthquake which hit Madang on Saturday.
“Raicoast Member of Parliament Kessy Sawang together with the Madang provincial government have taken swift and decisive action to assess the situation on the ground,” he said.
“A team comprising officials from relevant government departments and agencies, under the leadership of the National Disaster Office, has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive assessment of the damage and the number of affected individuals.
“The Government is committed to providing swift relief assistance once the ground assessment team submits their reports.”
Marape expressed his sympathy for the people of Madang and neighbouring provinces impacted by the earthquake which struck on Saturday evening, with its epicenter located at Basamuk in Raicoast.
“Our hearts go out not only to the affected communities in Madang but also to their neighbours in the provinces of Morobe, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, and East Sepik.”
Meanwhile, the earthquake affected aerodrome facilities at Madang airport.
Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Walter Schnaubelt confirmed this through a report from the National Airports Corporation staff in Madang.

**Some filing cabinets left opened after the earthquake hit Madang.**

“The Senior Safety Officer did an inspection of the runway, taxiways, apron and the previously damaged fence line near the sea beyond the Runway 25 threshold.
“(The officer) identified long cracks along the runway as a direct result of the earthquake.
“There were cracks identified about 70m from the Runway 07 Threshold. The location of the cracks is between 70m and 170m from the runway threshold.
“The fence line beyond runway 25 threshold (below the approach) was also damaged. This section of the fence line was damaged during the last major earthquake and yesterday evening, further damage was caused to the fence.

**DWU’s Friendship Library books falling off from the books shelves.**

Engineers will need to travel to Madang to do a thorough assessment of the runway.
“A notice to air missions (NOTAM) will soon be issued to displace the runway by 170m. This will result in downgrade of the aircraft. Dash 8 – 300 series can operate. Q400 can also operate but on restricted payload.
“There will be an urgent pavement repair work to be carried out on the runway and along the fence line.”