Attachments
This report is produced by the Papua New Guinea Disaster Management Team (DMT) in collaboration with humanitarian partners, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) within the PNG National Disaster Center (NDC), and relevant Provincial Government partners. Sources: NEOC daily briefing minutes, Provincial SitReps, disaster needs assessment reports, official communications, and DMT/ISCG meeting minutes. It covers the period from 23-26 April 2026.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The National Disaster Centre’s National Emergency Operations Centre (NDC-NEOC) is set to scale down the national response to allow sub-national authorities to lead local operations.
- NDC-NEOC released a draft impact map based on preliminary reports from local authorities indicating extreme impacts in Atolls, Nissan, Kunua, Torokina, Bana, and Buin in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB); and Kiriwina-Goodenough, Esaála, Samarai-Murua in Milne Bay.
- Assessment coverage has expanded to 69 wards across 18 LLGs and 8 districts across AROB, Milne Bay, East New Britain and West New Britain and indicates 43,238 people affected and 39,723 people in need of humanitarian assistance.
- Relief distributions and logistics operations continue, prioritising outer island and hard to reach communities, supported by national dispatches and international airlift assistance.
- Humanitarian partners continue to support the response through assessments and relief distributions.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Tropical Cyclone Maila caused significant humanitarian impacts across Milne Bay Province, East New Britain Province (ENB), the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB), and parts of West New Britain. The cyclone disproportionately affected low-lying island and coastal communities, particularly those reliant on subsistence livelihoods and inter-island transport, resulting in widespread damage to housing, food systems, water sources, and essential services.
In the aftermath of the cyclone, a coordinated national, provincial, and international response has been mobilised under the leadership of the Government of Papua New Guinea through the NDC-NEOC to address urgent humanitarian needs and support early recovery. The national response is expected to scale down and give way to the coordination of local responses by respective sub-national authorities.