27 Nov 2007

Some key locations in PNG's flood hit Oro province still inaccessible to aid workers

4:38 pm on 27 November 2007

Disaster relief authorities in Papua New Guinea are today continuing to distribute emergency supplies to people affected by the recent flooding.

The government puts the official death toll from the flooding two weeks ago at 164 but there are estimates it could reach around 250 because a number of people are still unaccounted for.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in PNG says major airlifts of relief supplies have been made to the thousands of victims of the flooding over the past 3 days.

But its humanitarian affairs officer, Antonio Massella, says there are still areas that haven't received supplies yet.

"Today we will be focusing on the Kokoda axis as well as prioritising and assessing needs in the Popondetta urban area, understanding that there are some key locations that remain inaccessible and we are keen to conduct assessment to ascertain the level of need in those areas."

Antonio Massella says they also need more tarpaulins for temporary shelters.