K500,000 for flood relief

By LESLIE OMARO
THE national government has allocated K500,000 to help people affected by recent floods, according to an official.
National Disaster and Emergency Services Centre director Martin Mose said government teams were in the affected provinces delivering relief supplies.
The four provinces of Jiwaka, Western Highlands, Southern Highlands and Gulf had been badly affected by floods in the past couple of weeks.
Mose said in Port Moresby yesterday the funds would be used to purchase and deliver relief supplies to the affected areas.
“The government has given financial assistance and it’s sitting in a general trust account.
“The money would be given to the provincial administrator to purchase and deliver relief items based on the type of response received from teams that were dispatched to assess the situation.
“Several teams have been mobilised in those affected highlands provinces and not one community will be left out,” Mose said.
He could not give details of the number of people affected saying it was difficult at this stage as the entire affected areas were still being assessed.
The floods washed away homes, bridges, churches and food gardens.
Thousands were forced into evacuation centres causing panic and anger at the slow response from authorities.
Mose said the respective provincial disaster coordinators had been advised on the assistance they would be receiving especially on logistics.
He said they would be depending on corporate organisations to assist.
He said a helicopter would be used to deliver relief supplies to people there.
On the situation in Gulf, Mose said a team had already been dispatched to assess the situation and report back quickly to him so that necessary assistance could be given.
“We need to have funds ready so teams can be mobilised quickly and dispatched to the affected areas as soon as possible.”
The government last week allocated K500,000 for relief to the devastated areas of Southern Highlands and K13 million to rebuild bridges and roads that had been destroyed by floods.