Authorities confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll in eastern Papua New Guinea (PNG) has risen to 23 following the impact of Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila. Jelta Wong, the Member of Parliament for the Gazelle District in PNG’s East New Britain Province, disclosed that 10 individuals lost their lives in a landslide in the remote Lamarain village on Sunday. The bodies of all 10 victims were successfully recovered, with Wong expressing deep sorrow for the community’s loss.
Randal Ganisi, the disaster coordinator in the Milne Bay Province, stated that two additional fatalities have been recorded in the region. Teams have been dispatched to island communities to evaluate the number of displaced individuals and the extent of the destruction caused by the cyclone. Earlier, 11 deaths were reported in the autonomous Bougainville region, with eight fatalities resulting from a landslide.
The state-owned National Broadcasting Corporation of PNG announced a state of emergency for the entire Bougainville region due to extensive infrastructure damage, mass displacement of communities, and a growing humanitarian crisis triggered by the cyclone. In a separate incident, three individuals have been reported missing in the Solomon Islands. Tropical Cyclone Maila, classified as a Category 5 storm, was situated in the Solomon Sea on Tuesday, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.
The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation highlighted that three people are missing in the Choiseul Province following severe weather linked to the cyclone. The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force has activated operations centers in Western and Choiseul provinces, advising the public to take necessary precautions.
