19 Jan 2015

PNG agency says Manam Islanders still in temporary camps

12:07 pm on 19 January 2015

An aid agency in Papua New Guinea says some Manam Islanders who lost their homes after a volcano errupted 10 years ago are still living in temporary housing.

About ten thousand people were displaced after the volcano erupted and moved to the mainland in Madang.

World Vision has been working for the past 30 years in Madang as a relief and development organisation.

Its country director Curt von Boguslawski says most Manam Islanders have integrated well but some are still living in camps.

"To my knowledge, there is only two camps which have fully integrated. The others are still in semi-permanent housing but if you go to some of the local communities there, all of the houses there are semi-permanent. They are made out of bush material."

Mr von Boguslawski says some Manam Islanders have returned to the island, despite it not being deemed safe.