Western confirms 13 deaths in earthquake

By DAPHNE WANI
WESTERN Governor Taboi Awi Yoto has confirmed that 13 people were killed at the border with Southern Highlands during last Monday’s earthquake.
Yoto said yesterday that the province government lacked the capacity to respond to the affected areas, especially along the border with Southern Highlands and West Sepik.
He told The National that the 13 people who died were from the Nomad local level government area who were doing their marketing at Ami in Southern Highlands.
He said food and water supplies were urgently needed because food gardens had been destroyed by landslides.
“The provincial government does not have the capacity to respond and got to the affected areas but is relying on the National Disaster Office,” he said.
He said the OK Tedi mine was still cut off because of the debris from a landslide caused by the earthquake.
Ok Tedi Mining Limited chief executive and managing director Peter Graham said the landslide had damaged water and concentrate pipelines.