Cyclone Maila Devastates Papua New Guinea, Death Toll Rises to 23

Melbourne: Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila has left a trail of destruction across Papua New Guinea, with the death toll rising to 23 after 12 additional fatalities were confirmed on Wednesday.

In the hardest-hit East New Britain Province, a devastating landslide in the remote Lamarain village claimed 10 lives. The tragedy was triggered by relentless rainfall caused by the cyclone. Local Member of Parliament Jelta Wong described the incident as a “profound sorrow” for the community, confirming that all bodies have been recovered.

Elsewhere, in Milne Bay Province, authorities reported two additional deaths. Disaster response teams have been deployed to assess damage and determine the number of displaced residents in affected island communities.

Earlier reports from the autonomous Bougainville region confirmed 11 deaths, including eight caused by another landslide. The scale of destruction has prompted officials to declare a state of emergency across Bougainville, where infrastructure damage and mass displacement have triggered a growing humanitarian crisis.

The impact of Cyclone Maila has extended beyond Papua New Guinea. In the neighboring Solomon Islands, at least three people have been reported missing in Choiseul Province following severe weather conditions.

According to Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the cyclone intensified into a Category 5 storm while moving through the Solomon Sea on Tuesday, underscoring the severity of the system.

Local authorities, including the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, have activated emergency operations centres and urged residents to remain cautious as response efforts continue.

The disaster highlights the vulnerability of island nations in the Pacific to extreme weather events, with ongoing rescue, relief, and assessment operations underway across the affected regions.

With inputs from IANS