Today marks exactly two (2) weeks since the landslide in Enga Province and the process for evacuation and relocation of affected communities has started already. In an interview with Enga Provincial Administrator Sandi Tsaka, he highlighted that the evacuation and relocation exercise in itself is another challenge faced by his administration. Tsaka said the land slide has not only affected the communities in its impact zone, however due to the fact that the landslide is still very hectic, the initial impacts zone of the landslide has grown significantly in size, further villages down the hill and others on adjacent arears are also affected by the movement of not only mud, debris and rocks but also by the obstruction of the creeks and rivers. “This is a huge risk, and that is part of the reason why we have not been able to mobilize heavy equipment and engineers on sight to start any excavation work to assist community that have been affected.” Tsaka added that they already have a Geotech team on the ground and they have had assistance from the Department of Mining and Geohazard. “We have Geohazard team on the ground from the Dept of Mininig and they have provided preliminary assessment on what they believe is not only the cause but the ongoing risk of the landslide.” “We have a team from New Zealand and Australia who had been doing aerial reconnaissance of the place.” Based on the initial decision reports, the Enga Provincial Government has made some decisions to mobilize people on site to start the work for clearing the disaster zone, including the people living downhill from the landslide and the adjacent communities on the sides of the disaster area that were initially thought to be not affected by the landslide were asked to evacuate them as soon as possible because they are also at very high risk. “We started the process of evacuation as well as relocation of these communities and it is another challenge in itself.” Enga is known for tribal fights and tribal enemies, and despite this challenge, Mr Tsaka said they are encouraged by the neighboring villages, despite their ethnic tensions everybody has been receptive in this time of disaster. “Impacted communities have been assimilated in the neighboring communities, and there is also Care centers set up on both sides of the landslide for people to evacuate to.” The landslide disaster has been declared a State of Emergency thus the Papua New Guinea Defense Force has taken over every exercise on the ground. “The disaster is under Government statutory and policy regulations comes under the Defense force.” “Right now, we have a full contingent of engineers and medical officers from PNGDF who have already mobilized and have been on the ground assisting all victims.” Mr Tsaka highlighted that all the efforts from search and rescue to recovery, evacuation exercise, relocation, emergency exercises, aid, relief assistance, technical and medical responses would not be possible if it was not for all the first responders who came forward to help. “The people of Enga and I are grateful for the support coming from all the International partners, domestic partners, provincial governments, private companies, friends and families.” “Your level of support shown to the people of Enga has been significant and we thank you for that.” Tsaka also extended his heart felt gratitude to the Enga Provincial Health Authority who also was one of the first responders providing emergency and medical assistant and has set up Care center camps on both sides of landslide.