Two volcanoes erupt in PNG in 48 hours
News that matters in Papua New Guinea
PORT MORESBY: Two volcanoes have erupted in the Pacific island of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 48 hours.
Mt Ulawun in Bialla, West New Britain (WNB), erupted at 5am Wednesday but only started spewing thick black volcanic ash at 12.45pm, triggering PNG’s National Disaster Centre to declare a Category 2 alert.
This means evacuation of villagers is mandatory with an immediate evacuation of 15,000 people in East Nakanai, the village nearest to Mt Ulawun.
Another 120,000 villagers staying further away are also expected to be evacuated as Mt Ulawun continues to spew thick black volcanic ash with growing intensity by the hour.
A large series of eruptions began at Manam in November and December 2004. It forced evacuations from the whole island. A pyroclastic flow at Manam volcano on Dec 3, 1996 killed 13 people in the village of Budua.
However, no casualties or deaths have been reported on the latest two eruptions to date.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the details of the major eruption of Mt Ulawun as published by The National:
Left: Liamo Reef Hotel staff Rachael Koiyaye inspecting the volcanic dust
covering car at the hotel car park in Kimbe, West New Britain yesterday.
– Nationalpics by Clifford Faiparik
Left: Ulawun is one of Papua New Guinea’s most active and
most dangerous volcanoes. It erupted on Wedn
 |
| Eruption of Mt Ulawun |
Two volcanoes erupt in PNG in 48 hours
PORT MORESBY: Two volcanoes have erupted in the Pacific island of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 48 hours.
Mt Ulawun in Bialla, West New Britain (WNB), erupted at 5am Wednesday but only started spewing thick black volcanic ash at 12.45pm, triggering PNG’s National Disaster Centre to declare a Category 2 alert.
This means evacuation of villagers is mandatory with an immediate evacuation of 15,000 people in East Nakanai, the village nearest to Mt Ulawun.
Another 120,000 villagers staying further away are also expected to be evacuated as Mt Ulawun continues to spew thick black volcanic ash with growing intensity by the hour.
Mt Ulawun
PNG Cyber Monitor has learnt that Mt Manam also erupted early this morning (Friday June 28, 2019). Details of the situation are still not available.
PNG Cyber Monitor has learnt that Mt Manam also erupted early this morning (Friday June 28, 2019). Details of the situation are still not available.
According to VOLCANO DISCOVERY, Mt Manam located 13km off the northern coast of PNG near Bogia town is one of the country’s most active volcanoes.
It has one of the longest records of historic eruptions in the SE Pacific region. The larger eruptions of Manam produced pyroclastic flows and sometimes lava flows.
Both have repeatedly reached the coast and affected populated areas.
It has one of the longest records of historic eruptions in the SE Pacific region. The larger eruptions of Manam produced pyroclastic flows and sometimes lava flows.
Both have repeatedly reached the coast and affected populated areas.
A large series of eruptions began at Manam in November and December 2004. It forced evacuations from the whole island. A pyroclastic flow at Manam volcano on Dec 3, 1996 killed 13 people in the village of Budua.
However, no casualties or deaths have been reported on the latest two eruptions to date.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the details of the major eruption of Mt Ulawun as published by The National:
135,000 to be moved
By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK in KimbeKIMBE disaster officers and volunteers are working round the clock to mobilise the evacuation of some 15,000 people in East Nakanai following the eruption of Mt Ulawun in Bialla, West New Britain (WNB), on Wednesday morning.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Disaster Centre has declared a Category 2 volcanic eruption, making evacuation mandatory for all villagers.
More than 120,000 other villagers staying further away from the volcano are also expected to be affected and evacuated as Mt Ulawun continues to spew thick black ash with growing intensity by the hour.
Hoskins Airport is reported to be covered in 4mm of thick volcanic ash and both Air Niugini and PNG Air had cancelled all flights since the eruption at 7am Wednesday.
Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Nakajima, WNB MP and State Enterprises Minister Sasindran Muthuvel and WNB Governor Francis Maneke are among the many air travellers left stranded over an indefinite period.
Works secretary David Wereh, Transport secretary Roy Mumu, six Port Moresby-based journalists and five Japanese embassy officers are also among the hundreds of air commuters stranded at the airport.
The WNB highway to Kokopo, East New Britain, is also closed to traffic due to thick black ashes.
Muthuvel said aircraft could neither land nor take-off due to the thick black ashes that affected engines and the airport tarmac.
“The only way for us to get out is the use of helicopters and fly to Kandrian or Morobe in Lae, and then fly to Port Moresby. Also, the Digicel network is off. Only bmobile and Telikom networks are in service,” he added.
Muthuvel said: “This is the biggest spewing of thick ashes from the same volcano. There were other explosions, the latest eruption was in 2008.
“The eruptions were not as huge or massive as this one. We are all caught by surprise. The first eruption was at about 5am on Wednesday while we were opening the new Aum and Kapiura bridges that were funded by the Japanese Government and officiated at by Nakajima.
“But it was not that serious. Then, at 12.45pm, it started spewing thick ashes about 15km in the air. And the ashes spread as far as Kimbe town, about 200km from Mt Ulawun.
“And it looks like the whole of Talasea District, from East Nakanai Local Level Government (LLG), Central Nakanai LLG, Hoskins LLG, Mosa LLG , Kimbe Urban LLG and Talasea LLG will be affected. Gardens and water sources will be covered by volcanic dust and ash.”
Some 15,000 people in East Nakanai need immediate evacuation and help.
Disaster officers and volunteers and six trucks of food and water supplies have been mobilised to leave Kimbe town for Barima, Bagara, Mandi and Soi.
However, the supplies would only last for about a week.
“We need about K1.5 million worth of food supplies for about two weeks. We need water containers and taupulins for shelters. We need help from the National Government and the deployment of the PNG Defence Force to assist,” Muthuvel said.
He said Maneke was now writing to the National Executive Council for assistance.
“Right now, the provincial disaster office is organising relief supplies with the Red Cross involvement. Also, the World Health Organisation (WHO) which is carrying out polio immunisation programme here, has joined to help in disaster relief efforts,” he added.
Muthuvel is also appealing to opportunists not to take advantage of the situation to loot abandoned residential houses or business houses. The occupants had fled to relief centres.
“I am also appealing to people to stay indoors and take measures, like wearing face masks, to avoid breathing in dust,” he added.
Maneke said more than 120,000 people were estimated to be affected by the volcanic eruption, including villagers in the Hoskins area, like the small block holders where the Hargy Oil Palm Estate is located.
“This includes Hargy employees and workers who are now being evacuated. The situation is serious,” he added.
Meanwhile, Air Niugini said in a statement that flights to and from Hoskins Airport had been suspended (until further notice).
“The National Airports Corporation has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) advising the temporary closure of the Hoskins aerodrome,” it said.
“The situation is being monitored daily and the resumption of flights will depend on the volcanic activity.
“Passengers who are travelling to Hoskins are reminded to cancel their travel plans from Port Moresby to Kimbe and WNB.
“Should travellers insist to risk being stranded in the airport in Port Moresby, they will have to bear their own cost. Air Niugini appreciates the travelling public’s understanding on this matter,” the statement added.
No injuries or deaths have been reported in the past 48 hours.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Disaster Centre has declared a Category 2 volcanic eruption, making evacuation mandatory for all villagers.
More than 120,000 other villagers staying further away from the volcano are also expected to be affected and evacuated as Mt Ulawun continues to spew thick black ash with growing intensity by the hour.
Hoskins Airport is reported to be covered in 4mm of thick volcanic ash and both Air Niugini and PNG Air had cancelled all flights since the eruption at 7am Wednesday.
Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Nakajima, WNB MP and State Enterprises Minister Sasindran Muthuvel and WNB Governor Francis Maneke are among the many air travellers left stranded over an indefinite period.
Works secretary David Wereh, Transport secretary Roy Mumu, six Port Moresby-based journalists and five Japanese embassy officers are also among the hundreds of air commuters stranded at the airport.
The WNB highway to Kokopo, East New Britain, is also closed to traffic due to thick black ashes.
Muthuvel said aircraft could neither land nor take-off due to the thick black ashes that affected engines and the airport tarmac.
“The only way for us to get out is the use of helicopters and fly to Kandrian or Morobe in Lae, and then fly to Port Moresby. Also, the Digicel network is off. Only bmobile and Telikom networks are in service,” he added.
Muthuvel said: “This is the biggest spewing of thick ashes from the same volcano. There were other explosions, the latest eruption was in 2008.
“The eruptions were not as huge or massive as this one. We are all caught by surprise. The first eruption was at about 5am on Wednesday while we were opening the new Aum and Kapiura bridges that were funded by the Japanese Government and officiated at by Nakajima.
“But it was not that serious. Then, at 12.45pm, it started spewing thick ashes about 15km in the air. And the ashes spread as far as Kimbe town, about 200km from Mt Ulawun.
“And it looks like the whole of Talasea District, from East Nakanai Local Level Government (LLG), Central Nakanai LLG, Hoskins LLG, Mosa LLG , Kimbe Urban LLG and Talasea LLG will be affected. Gardens and water sources will be covered by volcanic dust and ash.”
Some 15,000 people in East Nakanai need immediate evacuation and help.
Disaster officers and volunteers and six trucks of food and water supplies have been mobilised to leave Kimbe town for Barima, Bagara, Mandi and Soi.
However, the supplies would only last for about a week.
“We need about K1.5 million worth of food supplies for about two weeks. We need water containers and taupulins for shelters. We need help from the National Government and the deployment of the PNG Defence Force to assist,” Muthuvel said.
He said Maneke was now writing to the National Executive Council for assistance.
“Right now, the provincial disaster office is organising relief supplies with the Red Cross involvement. Also, the World Health Organisation (WHO) which is carrying out polio immunisation programme here, has joined to help in disaster relief efforts,” he added.
Muthuvel is also appealing to opportunists not to take advantage of the situation to loot abandoned residential houses or business houses. The occupants had fled to relief centres.
“I am also appealing to people to stay indoors and take measures, like wearing face masks, to avoid breathing in dust,” he added.
Maneke said more than 120,000 people were estimated to be affected by the volcanic eruption, including villagers in the Hoskins area, like the small block holders where the Hargy Oil Palm Estate is located.
“This includes Hargy employees and workers who are now being evacuated. The situation is serious,” he added.
Meanwhile, Air Niugini said in a statement that flights to and from Hoskins Airport had been suspended (until further notice).
“The National Airports Corporation has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) advising the temporary closure of the Hoskins aerodrome,” it said.
“The situation is being monitored daily and the resumption of flights will depend on the volcanic activity.
“Passengers who are travelling to Hoskins are reminded to cancel their travel plans from Port Moresby to Kimbe and WNB.
“Should travellers insist to risk being stranded in the airport in Port Moresby, they will have to bear their own cost. Air Niugini appreciates the travelling public’s understanding on this matter,” the statement added.
No injuries or deaths have been reported in the past 48 hours.
Disaster boss urges people living near volcano site to vacate area
By REBECCA KUKUTHE intensity and activity of the Ulawun Volcano in West New Britain have increased and people living in the immediate vicinity are advised to evacuate.
National Disaster Centre director Martin Mose told The National that the situation in the Bialla district of West New Britain had increased seismic activity on Wednesday.
“The volcano has started spewing thick black smoke and heavy ash fall in the surrounding communities as lava has started to flow at the northern valley of the volcano,” he said.
“The situation has now escalated to a level-two alert and I call on the people to start evacuating from the area.”
Mose said the volcano was at the border of West New Britain and East New Britain with a population of about 18,000 people being affected, close to 5,000 have already started “voluntary” evacuation.
“Of the 18,000, it is estimated that close to 15,000 people affected are in West New Britain.
“Residents have voluntarily moved to safe zones that were pre-identified in the provincial disaster management plan with the assistance of the Hargy Oil Palm Ltd.”
“We have received reports that these are people from Ulamona and Noau and they have now moved to the Kabaya community in West New Britain.”
Mose said the provincial administration and provincial disaster offices from West New Britain and East New Britain were working in close consultation with the local communities and private sectors were mobilising resources to be deployed to impacted sites to monitor and coordinate response actions in the event the situation worsened.
“Rabaul Volcano Observatory is also monitoring the situation and in communication with us, our National Disaster Centre is also monitoring the situation and we will provide updated information daily.
“But the Ulawun has an evacuation plan that was developed through the community-based disaster risk management programme that was conducted in 2018,” Mose said. This plan will now be activated to respond to the situation, we have also trained the communities to identify the signs, mobilise and evacuate so I call on them to now use those skills.”
He said that volcanos behaved differently so they could not really say if it would escalate or cool down over the next couple of days but people should start moving to safer grounds as their lives were important.
Mose also said that all flights into the province had been grounded due to heavy ash fall.
National Disaster Centre director Martin Mose told The National that the situation in the Bialla district of West New Britain had increased seismic activity on Wednesday.
“The volcano has started spewing thick black smoke and heavy ash fall in the surrounding communities as lava has started to flow at the northern valley of the volcano,” he said.
“The situation has now escalated to a level-two alert and I call on the people to start evacuating from the area.”
Mose said the volcano was at the border of West New Britain and East New Britain with a population of about 18,000 people being affected, close to 5,000 have already started “voluntary” evacuation.
“Of the 18,000, it is estimated that close to 15,000 people affected are in West New Britain.
“Residents have voluntarily moved to safe zones that were pre-identified in the provincial disaster management plan with the assistance of the Hargy Oil Palm Ltd.”
“We have received reports that these are people from Ulamona and Noau and they have now moved to the Kabaya community in West New Britain.”
Mose said the provincial administration and provincial disaster offices from West New Britain and East New Britain were working in close consultation with the local communities and private sectors were mobilising resources to be deployed to impacted sites to monitor and coordinate response actions in the event the situation worsened.
“Rabaul Volcano Observatory is also monitoring the situation and in communication with us, our National Disaster Centre is also monitoring the situation and we will provide updated information daily.
“But the Ulawun has an evacuation plan that was developed through the community-based disaster risk management programme that was conducted in 2018,” Mose said. This plan will now be activated to respond to the situation, we have also trained the communities to identify the signs, mobilise and evacuate so I call on them to now use those skills.”
He said that volcanos behaved differently so they could not really say if it would escalate or cool down over the next couple of days but people should start moving to safer grounds as their lives were important.
Mose also said that all flights into the province had been grounded due to heavy ash fall.
People told to take disaster seriously
Left: Liamo Reef Hotel staff Rachael Koiyaye inspecting the volcanic dust covering car at the hotel car park in Kimbe, West New Britain yesterday.
– Nationalpics by Clifford Faiparik
By JOYCE INGIPAPAPUA New Guinea must take serious and affirmative action to beef up its disaster and risk management efforts, says National Disaster Centre assistant director (Risk Management) Kaigabu Kamnanaya.
“The Government has decentralised the efforts from national to provincial, district and local level government (LLG) levels. All levels must now be fully resourced with funds so that they can respond swiftly and effectively to outbreak of disasters.
“At the moment, some provinces have only one person while others have no office,” he said at the PNG National Disaster Risk Management Workshop in Port Moresby yesterday.
Kamnanaya said he believed the new Government would look into the disaster management needs in Budget 2020.
“It is relieving to receive support from the Australian Government through its defence force in times of emergency.
But it is also crucial for the PNG Government to be serious about disaster risk management services to filter down to villages.”
He said PNG on responded to disasters at ad hoc basis.
“When disaster occurs we respond and we call it disaster management. But that is only a minor part of it. We have to look at the risks and take precautionary measures,” he added.“We have to be prepared always so that the cost of disaster can be minimised or lessened with anticipation.
“We assist only during the response phase and leave the rest to the government of the day,” Kamnanaya said, adding that assistance should be provided not only during a disaster and recovery stage, but before a disaster.
“Now, when disaster strikes, we supply the affected people with rice and flours, and that is it. We have to understand risk and when disaster strikes, we already know what to do and how to respond effectively and efficiently.
“The purpose of this workshop is to collate the views of national agencies for the National Reduction Risk Action Plan (2017-2030) and identify priorities and achievable actions to enhance risk management,” he added.
The workshop was facilitated by the National Disaster Centre in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and Emergency Management Australia.
“The Government has decentralised the efforts from national to provincial, district and local level government (LLG) levels. All levels must now be fully resourced with funds so that they can respond swiftly and effectively to outbreak of disasters.
“At the moment, some provinces have only one person while others have no office,” he said at the PNG National Disaster Risk Management Workshop in Port Moresby yesterday.
Kamnanaya said he believed the new Government would look into the disaster management needs in Budget 2020.
“It is relieving to receive support from the Australian Government through its defence force in times of emergency.
But it is also crucial for the PNG Government to be serious about disaster risk management services to filter down to villages.”
He said PNG on responded to disasters at ad hoc basis.
“When disaster occurs we respond and we call it disaster management. But that is only a minor part of it. We have to look at the risks and take precautionary measures,” he added.“We have to be prepared always so that the cost of disaster can be minimised or lessened with anticipation.
“We assist only during the response phase and leave the rest to the government of the day,” Kamnanaya said, adding that assistance should be provided not only during a disaster and recovery stage, but before a disaster.
“Now, when disaster strikes, we supply the affected people with rice and flours, and that is it. We have to understand risk and when disaster strikes, we already know what to do and how to respond effectively and efficiently.
“The purpose of this workshop is to collate the views of national agencies for the National Reduction Risk Action Plan (2017-2030) and identify priorities and achievable actions to enhance risk management,” he added.
The workshop was facilitated by the National Disaster Centre in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and Emergency Management Australia.
Left: Ulawun is one of Papua New Guinea’s most active and most dangerous volcanoes. It erupted on Wedn
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