The delay in accessing funds has caused the Manus Provincial Administration to dispatch rapid assessment teams out to the province two days after the king tidals hit the province. Manus Provincial Administrator Oka Nungu told PNG Hausbung that 12 teams sent out today to the 12 Local Level Governments in the province will assess three important issues including food and water security as well as the amount of destruction. He said initial reports from communities stated that all the atolls, coastal and island communities around the province have been severely affected on Monday. “The teams were dispatched today after all the heads of respective divisions in the Provincial Government called an Emergency Meeting yesterday to plan on our response to the emergency,” Mr Nungu said. “The team will be back by Friday with the assessment report and from there we will submit the report to the Provincial Executive Council to assist with funds to meet the immediate needs of the people.” He added that if one-third of the communities are affected, then they will call on the National Government to declare a State of Emergency in the province. “From initial reports, about one-third of the communities were affected and if that is confirmed by the report, then we would call on the National Government to declare a State of Emergency in the province because we don’t have enough funds.” So far there has been no report from the National Disaster Office or the National Government on the current issue in Manus.