More aid pledges have come in to help Papua New Guinea after it was hit by a massive earthquake a week ago.
Portion of the new Mendi - Kandep road has been destroyed following the 7.5 earthquake. Photo: Andrew Solomon
The 7.5 quake caused widespread damage in the provinces of Hela, Southern Highlands and Western, and has left dozens of people dead.
Due to severely disrupted transport and telecommunications links, it's still unclear how many people died. But as many as eighty deaths have been reported so far, according to the PNG Red Cross.
A road in Komo, Hela province of Papua New Guinea, affected by the 7.5 earthquake 26 February 2018. Photo: Supplied
Tens of thousands of people are in urgent need of basic supplies.
The Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand stands ready to assist.
New Zealand has committed an initial half a million dollars to help with the emergency response.
A Defence Force Hercules plane is due to leave this morning for Port Moresby carrying hygiene kits, shelter supplies and tarpaulins.
Australia's government began flying in relief supplies to some of the affected communities last Thursday.
Australia's government announced a 150-thousand US dollar package that included tarpaulins, water purification tablets and water containers.
Among the first to commit substantial funds to the relief effort are the oil and gas companies who have been commercialising the natural gas resource in the area around the epicentre.
PNG-incorporated Oil Search has committed 5-million US dollars, in addition to a million US dollars from multi-national giant ExxonMobil.
Both energy firms have suspended their operations in the Highlands region struck by the quake.
The Chinese government and China's Red Cross have also pledged assistance although PNG's Post Courier reports the value is yet to be made known.
The PNG government has announced 94 million US dollars for emergency and long-term rehabilitation.
Parliament is to sit soon to ratify the declaration of a state of emergency for the affected provinces.
Due to disrupted road and communication links in the region since the quake, full damage assessment could take weeks or even months.
Exxon shutdown
The energy giant ExxonMobil has reportedly declared force majeure on exports from its Liquefied Natural Gas project after last week's 7.5 earthquake.
Exxon had confirmed in a statement last week that it had suspended its operations while it assessed damage from the quake to its infrastructure.
In a statement, Exxon said its facilities had sustained damage, and preliminary assessments indicated it could take eight weeks to repair.
The US$19 billion LNG project is PNG's biggest export earner, and it's still not clear whether the pipeline through which gas is pumped to the coast was damaged.
The company has also evacuated hundreds of staff from the region.
Reuters reports that Exxon has declined to comment further, an industry source says the company has invoked force majeure on exports.
RNZ Pacific has been told by an ExxonMobil PNG spokesperson that the company is continuing to work with its customers to minimise the impact on their business.
"We are unable to discuss commercial arrangements covered by confidential agreements," said the spokesperson.
