Tropical Cyclone Maira Kills 11 in Papua New Guinea
- At least 11 people have died in Papua New Guinea following the impact of Tropical Cyclone Maila, with the majority of casualties reported in the autonomous region of...
- According to reports from the National Broadcasting Corporation of Papua New Guinea and other media outlets on April 13, 2026, the deaths in Bougainville include eight people killed...
- Two additional women died after being struck by fallen trees.
At least 11 people have died in Papua New Guinea following the impact of Tropical Cyclone Maila, with the majority of casualties reported in the autonomous region of Bougainville. The storm brought severe flooding and landslides that destroyed critical infrastructure and disrupted food supply chains across eastern Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
According to reports from the National Broadcasting Corporation of Papua New Guinea and other media outlets on April 13, 2026, the deaths in Bougainville include eight people killed by a landslide. In Central Bougainville, a landslide destroyed homes in Asiko Village, while in Kongara Village, a house collapsed during a nighttime landslide, killing a family consisting of four adults and four children. Two of the women killed in that incident were pregnant.
Two additional women died after being struck by fallen trees. Approximately 12 other people have been hospitalized with various injuries resulting from the storm.
Infrastructure Damage and Local Impact
The cyclone caused widespread destruction to homes, livelihoods, and essential services. In Bougainville, schools were cancelled for the week of April 13, 2026, after the storm destroyed bridges and roads, which severely impacted the region’s food supply chains.
President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Ishmael Toroama stated that the government has mobilized response teams from the Department of Community Government’s Bougainville Disaster Directorate to monitor the situation and organize relief for the mainland and outer islands.
In response to the damage, Bougainville’s National MPs announced an emergency response fund of US$1.16 million, equivalent to 5 million PNG Kina, to support affected communities and repair key infrastructure.
Government and International Response
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape announced on April 12, 2026, that the national government has begun mobilizing essential relief supplies, including clean water, food rations, medical supplies, and temporary shelters. Mr. Marape indicated plans to travel to the Milne Bay province, where reports of widespread damage have emerged.
The Prime Minister noted that establishing contact with remote communities affected by the disaster has proven challenging, stating in a statement on April 12, 2026:
Reports are still coming in and are scattered, but we will make sure we reach every place, every island, and every community that has been affected.
James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
The Australian government has pledged $2.5 million in funding to assist with clean-up and recovery efforts in the affected areas.
Storm Trajectory and Intensity
Tropical Cyclone Maila reached Category 5 strength while in the Solomon Sea, causing major flooding and destruction in the Solomon Islands, specifically hitting low-lying properties in the Western provinces. While initially forecast to strike the southeastern tip of the island of New Guinea as a Category 2 or 3 storm, the system has since been downgraded to a tropical low.
Papua New Guinea’s National Weather Service previously warned that all parts of Milne Bay Province would be impacted as the cyclone tracked toward the south-eastern tip of the mainland.