22 landslide affected families get assistance

One week after a landslide affected Tonwepis and Namerus in Ward 10 of East Wapei LLG, Lumi, relief supplies have reached the 22 affected families.

The assistance, mainly provided by the Papindo Group of Companies and Yajada Business House in Vanimo, includes food, water containers and kitchen utensils.

Team Leader for the Sandaun Provincial Disaster Response Team Anslem Mani said these supplies should relief these affected families in this time when they needed it the most.

"Relief supplies should have reached the affected community earlier on Monday or Tuesday, when the landslide occurred on Sunday [15th March 2026], but because of challenges faced by the administration in terms of logistics and money for supplies, we had to ask business houses to assist us," Mani said.

The Disaster Officer, together with teams from Works and Technical Services and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, will conduct assessments, and the community has been asked to cooperate.

"The main reason we are here is to make an assessment of the landslide impact on the community and to supply relief to the affected families. For donor agencies and others who wish to help assist you all in this time, we have to send a report; you all have to participate well," Mani said.

Community spokesperson Ambros Maiu said it was a first of its kind to receive support from the administration and government.

" We are so thankful to the administration and government for this assistance provided to us. It means a lot to us, especially in this time when we needed it the most.

"The people of Tonwepis and Namerus ward 10 council area of East Wapei have lived through 6 landslides, the earliest was in 1938 and the latest being 2026. All these landslides we have never seen any government assistance, and this is the first," Maiu said.