The National: 21 July 1998
TSUNAMI: 3000 FEARED DEAD IN TIDAL WAVE HORROR
Authorities and relief workers in north-western Papua New Guinea count the survivors to determine the number of the dead and missing - victims of a gigantic tidal wave which levelled four major villages occupied by about 6000 people. Officials believe they may never know the full number who perished in the disaster.
JULY 27: WITH the medical emergency easing in Papua New Guinea, a new crisis is developing with local authorities starting to panic about paying for services used in the relief effort.
A week after the tragedy they are turning their minds to the longer term needs of thousands of displaced villagers.
As the 120 sq km disaster site was sealed off today, the official death toll climbed to 1100.
That leaves up to 2000 people still unaccounted for. Many now believe the ebbing tsunami might have sucked hundreds more people out to sea than was first thought.
More than 4000 survivors have been placed in care centres close to the disaster site and more than 500 people remain in the two local hospitals and the Australian-New Zealand field hospital. - Agencies
By FRANK SENGE KOLMA
SISSANO, WEST SEPIK: Authorities and relief workers here were counting the survivors
yesterday to determine the number of the dead and missing, the victims of a gigantic tidal wave on Friday night which levelled four major villages in Papua New Guinea occupied by about 6000 people.
"Body counts are not accurate. We cannot account for everybody," said Governor John Tekwie.
"There were 6000 people. Of that 2400 people are accounted for in four camps and another 656 people in another two camps.
"Based on that I can say about 3000 people are dead or missing as at 11 o'clock today."
The number of the dead differed significantly between 150 given by disaster coordinators here to 705 released by the Prime Minister's office at mid-day yesterday.
As relief organisations swung into action to search for and evacuate those seriously injured, bodies were still being dug out of the sand and fished from the Sissano Lagoon.
By 11am yesterday, the order was given by Disaster Coordinator Sinur Atang to teams of army personnel and volunteers to dredge the lake with nets and either drop the already decomposed bodies in huge pits or burn them before burial.
Some 200 volunteers, 150 soldiers, VSO volunteers, Catholic Church sisters and provincial disaster personnel were on the ground assisting in carrying the injured to safety, searching for the dead and missing and feeding the victims.
"People are still hiding in the bushes even though they have broken limbs," Governor Tekwie said.
"They are afraid of the water. They are still shocked."
Four teams in helicopters and six dinghies were scouring the area for survivors and bodies of the dead.
"Bodies that have been found, have been buried where they have been found," Governor Tekwie said.
"We have no time and resources for the dead. We are worried about those who are alive and those missing who will be needing help."
Prime Minister Bill Skate, who visited the disaster area, appeared shocked.
"I was walking on the dead yesterday," Mr Skate said when he visited Sissano.
He said he had declared a state of emergency in the province and approved the immediate disbursement of K2 million in relief aid.
"I have approved K2 million," he said.
"Cabinet can rectify it later. There is no time. This is an emergency."
Australia, New Zealand, the Catholic church, VSO workers, and about 200 volunteers, and local business houses are pitching in with whatever assistance they can offer.
An emergency medical camp has been set up in Vanimo where 160 injured people have already been sent. Forty-five seriously injured people were sent to the Wewak General Hospital in neighbouring East Sepik province.
On Friday evening, as the residents of Arop, Warapu, Sissano and Malol set about their every day task, a huge earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale struck some 30 kilometres out at sea.
About five minutes later, the survivors said they heard a loud clap like thunder, which was heard as far as Vanimo.
"Those of us near the sea saw the water start to bubble and boil after the bang," Josepath Sonitakema, 35 of Warapu said yesterday.
"Then from about five metres out, the sea seemed to reach straight up to coconut tree height. A sound like a helicopter engine followed it. I ran with my family.
"People ran everywhere. They forgot about everything. They forgot their children."
The kerosene lamp he was trying to light was doused by the wall of water that rushed in and massive coconut trees snapped like match sticks and homes collapsed.
Extinguished too were the lives of Josepath's uncle and elder sister. They have been found and buried.
The Geological Observatory in Port Moresby reported two earth quakes which occurred at a depth of 33 kilometres about eleven kilometres south of Aitape at 6.50pm.
They were of measured at 6.5 and 6.2 on the Richter scale respectively, Chief Government Geologist Stevie Nion said.
Three huge waves, the biggest about 10 metres high, slammed the coastline, followed by a lull and then another less violent surge. By 7.07pm the sea was quiet again.
The Aitape disaster is the biggest in living memory equalling or surpassing - depending on the final death toll - the Mt Lamington volcano eruption in 1952 which took 2000 lives.
From the air there was no evidence yesterday that the 20-km long beach along the Sissano Lagoon was dotted with the houses.
There was only a line of tall coconut palms and casurina trees. In the Sissano Lake behind the stretch of beach and coconut palms, brown debris was visible - the only evidence of the homes that housed 6000 inhabitants five days ago.
The destruction becomes clear once on the ground as chewed up coconut palms and bits of building material are washed up everywhere.
The putrid smell of decay and decomposition is heavy in the air. At least two badly decomposed bodies were lying in shallow pools of water.
Copyright © 1998 The National and Asia-Pacific Network. This document is for educational and personal use. Please seek permission for publication.
http://www.asiapac.org.fj/cafepacific/resources/aspac/tsunami.html
Return to Asia-Pacific Network index