The disaster co-ordinator in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville says as many as 60,000 people have been affected by two months of heavy rain. Much of south Bougainville is a flood zone at the same time the region is coping with the impacts of the Mt Bagana eruption. As a result of both natural disasters the Autonomous Bougainville Government last week extended a state of emergency until mid-October. Esther Usurup said teams are now carrying out an assessment before food supplies are flown in. "The whole of south Bougainville from Torokina to Siwai, Bana and Buin specifically, have also been inundated and, as of the last 24 hours we have had a rapid needs assessment that has been deployed," she said. Usurup said meanwhile that the volcano, Mt Bagana, is continuing to erupt, after bursting to life for the first time in 11 years on July 7. She said it still carries a level two advisory. About 3,000 people remain in camps for people displaced by the eruption. They are at Wakunai and Torokina, which are either side of the mountain. At least 5000 more are known to be affected by the eruption. Source: RNZ.Com