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Papua New Guinea: Direct Relief's programme activities update Sep 2002

Recipient: Kimbe Hospital
Shipment Date: 9/13/2002 Value: $15,509
Following small earthquakes and tremors which began in early July 2002, the Mount Pago Volcano, in Papua New Guinea's West New Britain Province, began spewing thick dark gray ash and sulfurous fumes. There was also fear that the Witori volcano, situated next to the Pago volcano, would become active. More than 10,000 people were evacuated from surrounding villages to the provincial capital of Kimbe, situated 50 kilometers north of the volcano, and nine care centers were built to accommodate the evacuees.

This shipment was hand-carried by emergency medical physicians from the University of Southern California to the Kimbe Hospital and included items such as analgesics, antibiotics, and wound dressings.