THE International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the National Disaster Centre (NDC), provincial disaster centres and humanitarian partners, is contributing to a coordinated response to meet the needs of communities affected by Cyclone Maila.
The IOM, with support of the United States, New Zealand and Australia, is assisting the Papua New Guinea Government in addressing the victims of the cyclone.
In East New Britain, flooding, damage to infrastructure, and limited access have affected services.
“The IOM is distributing shelter materials and non-food items provided by the US from its pre-positioned stocks in Kokopo to households impacted by the cyclone,” a statement said.
“These distributions are carried out in close coordination with provincial authorities and guided by needs identified through Government-led coordination mechanisms, supporting families whose homes and essential belongings were damaged.”
With support from the Australian government, IOM is facilitating the delivery of food supplies to affected communities in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, where widespread damage to crops, water sources, and household assets has been reported.
The IOM is also supporting the deployment of non-food items in Alotau, Milne Bay, to help households meet essential needs following storm-related damage.
Additional support for other affected provinces is being planned in coordination with local authorities.
Following guidance from the NDC, IOM is to distribute about 2,000 additional pre-positioned emergency kits, non-food items and dignity kits donated by the US and currently stored in Lae.
New Zealand is helping airlift supplies to priority locations to address humanitarian needs in other cyclone-affected provinces.
