Disaster team assessing damage caused by earthquake

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Northern disaster team is putting together a report on the assessment of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake which affected parts of the province that claimed one life.
Acting administrator Trevor Magei told The National that according to reports received from various parts of the province, there was not much damage except for a few houses that collapsed and a woman who was buried by a landslide.
Magei said the woman from Kendata village in the Higaturu local level government (LLG), Sohe, was at the Embara River when the earthquake occurred.
He said according to the reports from the provincial disaster team, the woman’s body had floated down the river when villagers found her.
Magei said the report from disaster officers had revealed that some of her limbs were cut off most probably by the sharp stones and objects along the river.
He dismissed claims that the woman had been attacked and killed.
Magei said a team of officers from the Northern health authority, Disaster office and the police were dispatched when they received news of the accident.
He said there was no space in the Popondetta General Hospital morgue so the body was certified by the health officials and handed to the villagers for burial.
“Only houses that did not have strong foundation were knocked down by the tremor,” Magei said.
“The provincial disaster team is carrying out verification of the reports from the affected areas which had indicated that lives were not at risk,” he said.