Major sections of Highlands Highway restored

WORKS Secretary David Wereh says the Highlands Highway runs through a lot of unstable land which makes it susceptible to landslides during natural events such as earthquakes.
He told a FM100 radio talkback show on Friday that there were quite a number of landslides after the earthquake 15 days ago.
“Particularly the Nipa-Poroma (Southern Highlands) section has been heavily damaged,” he said.
“But we have got contractors on those landslip-prone areas. The major sections affected have now been restored for temporary access. Heavy vehicles can access the road from Hagen to Tari.”
Meanwhile, Oil Search yesterday provided medical treatment to 44 people at Huiya in Mt Bosavi and evacuated four to the company clinic at Moro.
The company’s emergency response team visited Bosavi with food, shelter, clean drinking water and medical supplies.
The teams took food and medical supplies with them and provided medical treatment and medevac the serious cases back to the company clinic at Moro or the Hela Provincial Hospital in Tari.
To date, the team has completed 19 rapid village assessments and seven regional hospital and health centre assessments.
A total of 22 health centre kits, which comprise medication and consumables have been delivered to the four districts of Komo-Margarima, Koroba-Kopiago, Tari-Pori and Nipa-Kutubu.
“We will continue to work with the Government and its agencies, and other partners, where we can, to address the critical needs of our communities,’’ Oil Search managing director Peter Botten said.