BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
A landing craft and a patrol boat carrying much-needed relief supplies are en route to Western Province to assist communities devastated by Tropical Cyclone Maila.
Chairperson of the Western Province Provincial Disaster Committee, Collin Potakana, confirmed the development during a conference yesterday, stating that the vessels are part of an ongoing response effort to support affected areas.
He said the Provincial Disaster Operations Committee (PDOC) is currently finalising plans to ensure the effective distribution of supplies across the province.
“The committee met yesterday and one of the ships will travel as far as Shortland Islands, with provincial staff on board to oversee the distribution of relief supplies,” Potakana said.
He said careful planning is crucial to maximize the impact of the limited resources available.
“Our task at the moment is how best we can utilise these two ships to ensure the most affected communities receive assistance as quickly as possible.
“This task is important and we need to come up with an effective strategy,” Potakana said.
He said the PDOC has been actively engaged in preparation and assessment work since last week, following the destructive impact of the cyclone.
Potakana said the relief supplies are part of the national government’s response to Tropical Cyclone Maila, which struck Western and Choiseul provinces last week, leaving a trail of destruction and displacing many communities.
He said the arrival of the two vessels will mark a significant step forward in delivering urgent assistance to remote and hard-hit areas still struggling to recover.
Photo: NEOC
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