The first relief supplies for Southern Highlands and Hela Province from the National Government were transported yesterday and today to both Provinces.
Relief supplies for Western Province are in Port Moresby and will be transported directly tomorrow.
Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan, Acting Defence Secretary, Trevor Meauri and representatives from the National Disaster Committee are in Mt Hagen to facilitate the distribution of the relief supplies.
The Committee has received K15 Million already for the relief supplies.
Deputy in Charge of the National Disaster Response Committee, Dr Ken Ngangan said it took much time for the Committee to respond, because they needed more time to coordinate and collect data of affected areas and fully understand the situation on ground.
So far, six container trucks have transported food and water to Southern Highlands Province yesterday.
Today, another 12 container trucks from IPI trucking company will transport food supplies to Hela Province.
Medical kits are also being transported to the affected areas and clinics as well.
Dr Ngangan said K5 Million is used already to purchase the supplies directly from the suppliers, and for transportation up to the affected areas.
Close to 200 PNG Defence Force personnel are on the ground in Mendi, Tari, Moro, Mt Hagen and Hides Gas to supply food, water, and assist in any medical evacuations.
This morning, the Australian Defence Force and PNG Defence Force combined to start the process of transporting relief supplies.
Since last night, the troops were clearing road from Mendi to Tari to allow for big container trucks to transport the relief supplies.
All the districts in the disaster-affected areas in Hela, Southern Highlands, Western and parts of Enga Province have received K1 Million and K2 Million each depending on the type of damage caused.
Dr Ngangan responded to issues of middle-man forking out money for the relief supply and said he won’t entertain such people.
He said the Committee are on the ground to avoid middle-man issues and are coordinating to restore normalcy in the affected areas.
