The Bougainville House of Representatives has voted unanimously to extend the State of Emergency (SOE) on the island region for two more months.
President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Ishmael Toroama presented an comprehensive report on the SOE in the parliament and recommended for an extension in a special session that convened today.
Toroama said a team from the Rabaul Volcanic Observatory Center arrived in Buka to establish a seismic monitoring system at Piva Station at Torokina.
The arrival of the RVOC team comes following an Australian Government initiative to install the monitoring instruments.
“I take this time to thank the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and USA for their generous support. On an international front of our political independence journey, we are open to humanitarian assistance through such strategic alliance,” said Toroama.
The initial SOE was declared on 16 July 2023, following the eruption of Mt. Bagana in Wakunai and Torokina Districts.
Regional Member for Bougainville, Peter Tsimalili Jnr told Inside PNG, continuous rain on the island has made it a little more difficult for effective humanitarian response.
“We now have been hit by torrential rains so the whole of South Bougainville does not have access to Arawa or Buka for store food. So now they are reaching out again for operation on the ground to provide support to South Bougainville, said Tsimalili Jnr.
Key action plays outlined by SOE Controller, Esther Usurup and was presented in Parliament by President Toroama include;
- Establishing a central operations hub at the Buka District headquarters, led by Emergency Controller Esther Usurup-Harou, Deputy Chief Secretary, Operations.
- Setting up evacuation centers at Piva Station and Wakunai district areas, equipped with essential relief supplies such as food, water, medication, tents, and basic necessities.
- Temporarily suspending classes from 03 August to 17 August 2023 in impacted areas of Torokina and Wakunai District, following the guidance of the Bougainville Education Board and the Education In Emergency Committee.
- Collaborating with the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory (RVO), a subsidiary of the National Department of Mineral and Geohazards, to establish a seismic monitoring system at Piva Station in Torokina District.
- Finalizing the Bougainville Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan, which outlines strategies for resource allocation and community response to natural and human-induced disasters
With the extension of SOE, two more evacuation centers were declared in Kopani Ward in Panguna District, and Soroken in Kunua District.
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