PNG quake victims still need help three months on

3:11 pm on 8 June 2018

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Papua New Guinea says the victims of the February earthquake desperately need assistance.

A group of women wait at Lil Care Centre in Nipa district to receive aid.

A group of women wait at Lil Care Centre in Nipa district to receive aid. Photo: Supplied/ ICRC

The PNG government's disaster management team estimates that more than 500,000 people were affected by 7.5 magnitude quake, and 270,000 people from that figure still need immediate assistance.

The estimated death toll is currently at 100.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Papua New Guinea had a team visit the Southern Highlands recently, where they helped over 600 families.

The ICRC Deputy Head of Mission in PNG Ahmad Hallak said people have had their homes destroyed, seen landslides that have killed and buried some people, and are displaced from there original communities.

"So they don't have access to their farm land, they don't have access to clean water, so they really are suffering, they really are in bad shape."

Ahmad Hallak said some people were still too scared to return to their homes.

The ICRC has increased its operations and activities in the two hardest hit provinces of Hela and Southern Highlands.

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