Port Moresby – Following the Mt. Bagana volcano eruption in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in July, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) scaled up its relief effort to assist the affected communities with the support from the National Disaster Centre and Bougainville Office for Disaster and Climate Change. 

Financially supported by the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), IOM deployed the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) site assessment tool to assist with the response planning arranged by the Government and humanitarian partners.

Through the second deployment of IOM’s DTM tool in August 2023, a total of 3,920 people from 900 households have been identified as displaced by such hazard.

In response to the needs of the affected population, IOM supplied those in need with emergency shelters and non-food items (NFIs), including rope, nails, water jerry cans and kitchen utensils. 

The transportation of the IOM’s relief supplies from Port Moresby to AROB was made possible through the use of air and sea transport assets supplied by the Australian, United States and the French Governments. Additionally, the coordination of flights was organised through the Australian High Commission, USAID/BHA and the US Embassy in Port Moresby, while the French Government arranged the shipment of the NFIs from Port Moresby to AROB.   

This relief effort also resulted in the deployment of Provincial Disaster Centre teams from Western Highlands and Morobe to jointly implement with IOM teams the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) services at Wakunai and Piva station care centres. The gender-inclusive CCCM units stationed at the centres worked closely with site management committees made up of the displaced population, host community, district authorities and Red Cross Society for the enhancement of capacity and service delivery. 

“IOM has been racing against time to assist the displaced population as Mt Bagana volcano has been spewing lava and ash. We thank our donor, the USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance for their generous financial support and overall partnership in responding to the pressing needs. We wish to acknowledge the Rotarians Against Malaria and the Rotary Club of Port Moresby for donating 1,000 mosquito nets that were distributed to the people in need,” said Serhan Aktoprak, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Papua New Guinea. 

“We thank the Australian and French Governments for facilitating the transportation of some of USAID-BHA/IOM relief items from Port Moresby to Buka. We are forever grateful to the PNG National Disaster Centre and the Autonomous Bougainville Government for their excellent cooperation with IOM and our partners,” added Serhan.

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For further information, please contact IOM Port Moresby, Peter Murorera, Tel: +675 321 36 55, Email: pmurorera@iom.int or Mohamud Omer, Tel: +675 321 36 55, Email: moomer@iom.int