V O L C A N I C M I T I G A T I O N O F V O L C A N I C R I S K IN P A P U A N E W G U I N E A
hy
BENTALAI
P a p u a N e w G u i n e a ( P N G ) o c c u p ie s a tectonic,'illy c o m p l e x area at the w e s t e r n m arg in o f the
Pacific Basin. V o lc a n ic activity currently tak es place in a n u m b e r o f diffe re nt t e c t o n i c settings
bu t the most active v o lean is m o cc urs in (he sub d u ctio n -re lated B i s m a r c k V o l c a n ic A rc w h i c h is
a b o u t 1, 100 km long.
T h e r e are o v e r 100 v o lc a n o e s in the c ou n try .
14 o f these h av e b ee n historically active, a t least
2 2 are d o r m a n t and the re st arc extinct. T h e active a n d d o r m a n t v o l c a n o e s co n s t i t u te a
c o n s id er ab le h a z a rd to the p e o p l e living on an d near them . O v e r 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e "co-habit"
w ith the v o l c a n o e s w hich c o v e r an area o f a b o u t 16 ,000 s q u a r e kilom e tr es - that is a b o u t 6 %
o f the total p o p u l a t i o n o v e r 3 . 8 % o f the total land area o f the c o u n try .
In the p as t 2 0 0 y ea rs th er e has been a n u m b e r o f h a z a rd o u s e r u p ti o n s in P N G that h av e c a u s ed
d e s t r u c ti o n a n d dea th a n d / o r h av e requ ir ed e v a cu atio n . O v e r 6 0 0 s q u a r e ki lo m e tr es o f land
w e r e d e s t r o y e d , o v e r 4 , 0 0 0 p eo p le w e r e killed and o v e r 12,000 p e o p l e w e r e e v a c u a t e d to safe
a r e a s d u r i n g erup tio ns.
T h e R ab au l Volca n olo g ical O b s e r v a t o ry ( R V O ) is respons ib le for m o n i to r in g all o f P N G 's
v o l c a n o e s ' a n d is in the p r o c e s s o f c o n d u c t i n g haz ard s a s s e s s m e n ts o n the h i g h e r risk
vo lcan o e s.
S in c e the est ab lishm en t o f R V O
in 1940, 7 o u t s t a t i o n o b s e r v a t o ri e s w e r e
estab lishe d in o r d e r that m o s t o f the active v o lcan o e s w o u l d be m o n i to r e d to s o m e d e g r e e .
V o lc a n ic h az ard as s e s s m e n ts have b ee n c o n d u c t e d o n the potentially d a n g e r o u s v o l c a n o e s to
identify a r e a s that w o u l d be at risk from future eruptions.
S ev er al step s are ta k en by R V O in o rde r to m itigate h az ard s a n d re d u ce v o l c a n i c risk.
1.
ID E N T IF IC A T IO N O F H IG H -R ISK V O LC A N O ES
O f o v e r 10 0 v o l c a n o e s in P N G , 14 are co n s i d e r e d ac ti v e (t h o s e that h av e e r u p t e d in the
p erio d P N G 's w ri t t e n history, i.e. the last 2 0 0 - 3 0 0 ye ars) an d 2 2 d o r m a n t (t h o s e that
ha v e yo ut hful m o rp h o lo g ical features, an d exhibit s o m e form o f g e o t h e r m a l activity).
T h e s e v o l c a n o e s are a d a n g e r to the lives o f o v e r 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 peop le.
T h e ac ti ve v o l c a n o e s are co n s i d e r e d to be the m os t likely to be a h a z a rd follow ed by the
d o r m a n t v o l c a n o e s w hich co u ld b e c o m e active aga in in future. O v e r 1 6 0 , 0 0 0 p eo ple
living in an area o f 7 4 1 8 sq km are in risk o f being e n d a n g e r e d by the eru p ti o n o f an
a c ti v e v o l c a n o in the n ea r future an d a further 6 1 , 0 0 0 peo p le living in an area o f 8 , 6 2 3 sq
k m run a s o m e w h a t l o w e r risk o f b ein g e n d a n g e r e d by r e s u m p t i o n o f activity b y a
d o r m a n t v o lcano .
T h e distribution o f v o lc a n o e s in P N G is no t uni form. T h e majority o f P N G 's ac ti ve (10
o u t o f 14) an d d o r m a n t ( 1 2 o u t o f 2 2 ) v o lc a n o e s are lo cated a l o n g the B ism arck
V o l c a n ic Arc. S o the p e r c e n t a g e o f the land area and p o p u la tio n at risk in this area will
b e m u c h h ig her than that fo r the c o u n t ry as a w h o le. O n m a n y o f the vo lcan ic islands on
the B i s m a rc k V o lc a n ic A r c 10% o f the p o pu lation are at risk o f be in g e n d a n g e r e d by
v o l c a n i c activity in the near future.
O t h e r regions o f vo l c a n i c risks are the A d m ira lty Is., B ou gai nv ill e island, E as t P a p u a an d
the Highlands.
F r e q u e n c y o f eru p ti o n s from P N G v o l c a n o e s is als o n o t unifo rm.
A l t h o u g h the w ri tten
re c o rd o f d irec t o b s e r v a t io n s o f er u p ti o n s in P N G is s h o rt , m o s t o f the eru p ti o n s that
o c c u r r e d o v e r the p as t 2 0 0 - 3 0 0 years w e r e from the v o l c a n o e s lo ca ted a l o n g the
B i s m a r c k V o l c a n o A rc . T h e s e v o l c a n o e s also er u p te d m o r e violently.
H a z a r d ra tin gs o f the v o l c a n o e s in P N G to indicate the likelihood o f fu tur e d a n g e r o u s
eru p ti o n s h a v e b ee n based o n a n u m b e r o f factors that includes geo lo gi ca l features,
historical re co rd e d activity an d on po p ulation density. It s h o w s t h at th e active v o l c a n o e s
h a v e the highe r haz ard ratin g than the d o r m a n t v o l c a n o e s w hich indicate that the active
v o l c a n o e s are m o r e d a n g e r o u s than the d o r m a n t vo lcan oes.
HAZARD ASSESSMENTS
S in c e the late 19th ce ntu ry, er u p ti o n s at fo ur different ce n tr es ( R i t te r Is. 1888, Rabaul
1937 , L a m i n g t o n 1951 and K a rk a r Is. 1979) h av e claim ed the lives o f o v e r 4 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e
an d c a u s e d e v a s ta t io n o v e r h u n d re d s o f s q u a r e kilometre s. E v a c u a t i o n o f the inhabitants
o f a r e a s n ea r v o l c a n o e s has b ee n ca rried o u t on nine o c c a s i o n s b e c a u s e o f eru p ti n g
restless vo lcan o e s.
O f the ev a c u a t i o n plans that are n o w exist three (R ab a u l, M t . L a m i n g t o n a n d K a r k a r
h a v e bee n p r e p a re d in re s p o n s e to er u p ti o n s that c a u s e d fatalities a n d / o r w i d e s p r e a d
d e s tru c ti o n , an d t w o (Esa'ala an d M a n a m ) w e r e originally p r e p a re d in anticipa tion o f
future po ssibly d a n g e r o u s activity.
It is a pre -r eq u isite for the p re p ara ti o n o f any v o l c a n o e m e r g e n c y plan that a v o lcan o
ha z ard m a p is first p ro d u c e d . This s h o u l d s h o w the an ticip ated distribution o f the
h az ard s likely to o c c u r as a re su lt o f d a n g e r o u s activity and ou tlin e a r e a s t h at are likely
to b e m o s t s ev ere ly af fec ted. This m a p ca n then b e u s ed as a basis fo r the ev a cu atio n
plan an d to d e t e r m i n e the m o v e m e n t o f p eo ple from high to lo w risk areas.
H a z a r d m a p s for eigh t o f P N G ’s ac ti v e v o l c a n o e s h av e b e e n p r e p a r e d , (R aba ul, U l a w u n ,
Langila, K a rk a r, M a n a m , L a m i n g t o n , B a g a n a and G o r o p u ) , and t w o are b ein g p re p a re d
( L o l o b a u a nd P a g o ).
H a z a r d m a p s h av e b ee n p r o d u c e d for th re e d o r m a n t v o lc a n o e s
(Billy Mitchell, Balbi, L o l o ru ) a nd t w o are still in p ro g r e s s ( H a r g y a n d U m b o i).
V o l c a n o e s that h av e c o ntin g en c y o r e m e r g e n c y plans include, R aba ul , U l a w u n , K a r k a r
an d M a n a m .
3.
V O L C A N O M O N IT O R IN G
R e g u l a r m o n i to r in g o f v o lc a n o e s in P ap u a N e w G u in ea st a rt e d as a resu lt o f eru p ti o n s at
V u l c a n an d T a v u r v u r w ithi n the Rabaul C al d era in 1937 w hi ch c a u s e d the d e a th s o f o v e r
5 0 0 peopl e. R o u t in e o b s er vatio n s c o m m e n c e d in Rabaul in late 1937, a n d a p e r m a n e n t
o b s e r v a t o r y w ith a s e i s m o g r a p h w a s established in 194 0.
G r o u n d investigatio ns at
seve ral o t h e r v o l c a n o e s in Pap ua N e w Gu in ea w e r e also ca rr ied o u t at the time. T h e
O b s e r v a t o r y w a s d e s t r o y e d d u r i n g the S e c o n d W o r ld W a r a l t h o u g h o b s e r v a t io n s w e r e
c o n t i n u e d for s o m e ti m e d u r i n g the J a p a n e s e o c c u p a tio n
P o s t - w a r vo lcan ic st ud ies in P ap u a N e w G u in ea c o m m e n c e d at R ab au l in 1 9 50 . T w o
n e w p e r m a n e n t v o l c a n o o b s e r v a t o ri e s w e r e established in the m i d -1 9 6 0 's - o n M a n a m
Island in 1 96 5 and at Esa'ala in 1966. Five o u t s t a t io n o b s e r v a t o ri e s w e r e established
b e t w e e n 1966 a n d 1980, (K ark ar , L i n g i la , U ln m on a, Bag an a an d L am in g to n ).
V o lca no seismicity
S e i s m o g r a p h i c e q u i p m e n t specifically d e s ig n ed for v o l c a n o m o n i t o r i n g c a m e into
o p e r a t i o n in the late 1960's w ith the ex p a n s io n o f the R ab au l O b s e r v a t o r y facilities
a n d the installation o f the Rabaul S eis m ic N e t w o r k in 1967. T h i s u s ed tel emetry
tech n iq u e s a n d a d irec t-writing re co rd in g sy stem . O t h e r n e w in s tru m ents w e r e
d e s ig n ed an d pu t into ser vice in (he 1970's including a telem etry s y stem w h ich w a s
em p l o y e d at n e w m i n o r o b s e r v a t o ri e s established at L a m i n g t o n in 3971 a n d K a r k a r
Island in 1975.
S everal ty pes o f in strum en ts are presently is use for volcan olo gical su rv e il lan c e in
P a p u a N e w Gui n ea .
A t Rabaul a seism ic n e t w o r k o f eleven telem etry an d t w o line s ta tio n s has been
established in a n d a ro u n d the caldera, w h ich p er m its d e te c tio n , an d lo catio n o f local
s e i s m i c ev e n ts o c c u rri n g wi th in the ca ldera. T e l e m e te r e d s e i s m o g r a p h s are in u s e on
L a m i n g t o n , K a rk a r, U law u n , B ag an a and Langila v o lc a n o e s and n o n -t e l e m e te re d
s e i s m o g r a p h s are
in use at o b s e r v a t o ri e s at o n
M anam,
Esa'ala a n d Langila
vo lcan o e s.
G r o u n d d e f o rm a t i o n
T i l tm e te rs w e r e first i n tro d u ce d t o m e a s u r e g r o u n d d e f o r m a t i o n af te r the 1 9 3 7
er u p ti o n s in R ab au l an d m e a s u r e m e n t s by half- m etre b u b b le tiltm eter s w e r e th e m o s t
c o m m o n type o f instrumental o b s er v atio n s ca rr ied o u t in P ap ua N e w G u i n e a w h e n
v o l c a n o su rv e il l a n c e w a s r e s u m e d af te r the w a r ( 1 950's).
W a t e r tube tiltmeters, installed o n w e ll -f o u n d e d a n d caref ully c o n s t r u c t e d piers in
u n d e r g r o u n d vau lts w e r e i n tro d u ce d at Rabaul an d the o b s e r v a t o ri e s at Esa'ala and
M a n a m in 1966.
B u b b le tiltm eters have als o c o n t i n u e d to b e u s ed in u n d e r g r o u n d
vault s at Rabaul w h e r e fairly reliable results have bee n o b tain ed , b u t in o u t d o o r
st atio n s thei r c o n t i n u e d use is do u btfu l o w i n g to the er ra tic results o b tain ed .
O t h e r t ech n iqu e s and in strum en ts e m p l o y e d to m o n i to r g r o u n d d e f o r m a t i o n are tideg auge s, optical levelling, gravity, dry tiit and el ec tro ni c dis tan t m e a s u r e m e n t ( E D M ) .
D ry tilt, E D M a n d gravity m e a s u r e m e n t s are als o ca rried o u t to m o n i t o r g ro u n d
d e f o rm a t i o n at K a rk a r an d M a n a m , a n d bubble tiltmeter s are in u se at Ka via k on
K a r k a r Island.
T h e r m a l activity
S in c e 1 9 3 7 t e m p e r a t u r e s have been o n e o f the m o s t i m p o rt a n t p a r a m e t e rs that are
m e a s u r e d at Rabaul regularly at 6 0 fum aroles a n d ho t s p rin g s using m e r c u r y -ίη glass
m a x i m u m re a d in g t h e r m o n u l e r s a n d on an O m e g a 871 Digital t h e rm o m e t e r .
P r o g r a m s o f re gular t e m p e r a t u r e m e a s u r e m e n t s h av e in the p a s t also b e e n carried
o u t o n K a rk a r, P a g o , K a d o v a r, B a m , I j i m i n g t o n and in the vicinity o f the d o r m a n t
v o l c a n o e s at Esa'ala.
G a s a n d thermal w a te r c h e m is try
Λ p r o g r a m o f re gu lar collection and analysis o f g as c o n d e n s a t e s an d th erm al w a te r s
w a s ca rried o u t in the 1970's in Rabaul to establish the 'normal' ra n g e o f variation
u n d e r vol canically qui et con ditio ns , b u t o w i n g to the difficulties o f g as c o n d e n s a t e
co llection a n d the unreliability o f s o m e fu m ar oles, o nl y the col lec tion o f thermal
w a te r s has b e e n con tin u ed .
M a g n e t i c field and electrical properties
S o m e m e a s u r e m e n t s o f total m a g n e t i c field h av e b ee n ca rried o u t at R ab au l a n d o n a
few v o l c a n o e s in the c o u n t ry .
Electrical m e t h o d s (resistivity a n d seif-potential
electrical s u rv e y s) hav e been us ed for v o l c a n o s u rv e il lan c e in R ab au l an d at Karkar.
4.
V O L C A N IC E M E R G E N C Y M A N A G EM EN T
O f all the e lem e n ts in an effective p ro g r a m o f vo lcan ic risk mitigation, the m a n a g e m e n t
o f vol ca ni c e m e r g e n c y is the m o s t critical, b e c a u s e it is the vital link in t ran s lating the
scientific info rm atio n from h az ard as s e ss m e n t a nd v o l c a n o m o n i to r in g into life - and
p ro p e rt y -s a v i n g plans an d ac tio n du rin g a v o l c a n i c d isaster or crisis.
T h e s e i s m o - d e f o r m a t i o n crisis at Rabaul in 19 83-8 5 , a n d eru p ti o n s at o t h e r v o l c a n o e s in
P N G (eg. U l a w u n 1980, 1 98 5 an d M a n a m 1992) h av e p r o v i d e d va lu ab le e x p e ri e n c e in
v o l c a n i c e m e r g e n c y m a n a g e m e n t.
R V O h avin g a small s t a f f with limited ex pe rti se, in ad eq u a te funding, a n d limited
e q u i p m e n t , stri ves to ca rry ou t its responsibilities in s o m e w h a t a d v e r s e co ndi tions.
L im it e d m ean s o f co m m u n i c a t i o n and tra n spo rt, difficult accessibility o f v o l c a n o e s and
h ar sh
m o n i to r in g
co ndi tion al,
limited
availability
of
sup p lies
locally,
sometimes
c u m b e r s o m e an d stack bu re a u c r a c y and the traditional traits o f the M elan e s ia n cu ltu re
m a k e R V O 's w o r k cha llenging. Giv en all o f the a b o v e difficulties R V O w a s still able to
p er fo rm its d uties and responsibilities ade quatel y.
M o n i t o r i n g and hazard as s e ss m e n ts d u r i n g non-c risis per iods usually p r o g r e s s a t a stea dy
s p a c e a n d an y additional m o n i to r in g techn iq ue s are im ple m en ted w h e n e v e r fund s are
m a d e available. V o lc a n ic activity re p o rts are issued to g o v e r n m e n t a u th ori ties o n a
r e g u la r basis (usua lly at the en d o f the m o n t h ) to k e e p th em in fo rm ed a b o u t th e condi tion
o f e a c h v o l c a n o that is being m o n ito red . Public relations ;ictivities o n v o l c a n o a w a re n e s s
are c o n d u c te d a nd in m o st c a s es they are held at R V O .
H o w e v e r , d u r i n g the crisis per iods R V O strictly c o n c e n t r a t e s o n m o n i t o r i n g and
e x p a n s io n o f ex isting m o n i to r in g n e t w o r k s , fundi ng per mitting.
V ol ca no logic al
informati on is issued m o r e frequently to the Nati onal a n d Provincial G o v e r n m e n t
au th o ri ties o n the co n d itio n o f the v o l c a n o an d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o n a p p r o p r i a t e
re s p o n se s arc m ad e. R V O also assis t in d r a w i n g up co n t i n g e n c y plans.
D u ri n g the
Provincial
1 98 3 -8 5
Rabaul vo lcan ic crisis the re s p o n se s
Governments
were
favou rab le.
Fun ds
were
from
made
the
Nati onal a n d
available al lo w in g
e x p a n s i o n o f the R ab au l n e t w o r k to m o n i to r the increased activity.
E m e r g e n c y plan n in g at Rabaul c o m m e n c e d as a re s p o n s e to c o n c e r n s raised b y R V O in
1 981 that the v o l c a n o w a s s h o w i n g s i g n s o f u nre st a n d co u ld e r u p t in the n ea r fu ture and
that u p d a t e o f the 1973 e m e r g e n c y plan fo r Rabaul w a s re quired .
A d o c u m e n t entitled
D i s a s t e r M a n a g e m e n t in P N G w a s p r o d u c e d by U N D R O in 1982. A n o t h e r plan for
r e s p o n s e to natural disasters at Rabaul, w a s d r a w n u p in J u n e 198 3 by U N D R O upon
r e q u e s t from the East N e w Britain ( E N B ) G o v e r n m e n t with e n c o u r a g e m e n t from R V O .
T h e p lan w a s appl icable to all types o f disas ter but it c o n c e n t r a t e d mainly o n the vo lcan ic
threat.
T h e E N B P rovi nc ial D i s a s t e r C o m m i t t e e ( E N B / P D C ) w a s c r e a t e d in early 1 9 8 3 o v e r the
responsibilities o f di s as ter M a n a g e m e n t in E N B . M e m b e r s h ip o f th e "C o r e" o f the
E N B / P D C , co n sist ed o f the H e a d s o f the D e p a r t m e n t o f E N B ( C h a i r m a n ) an d h e a d s o f
o t h e r g o v e r n m e n t d e p a r t m e n t s . R V O a t t e n d e d as a c o - o p t e d m e m b e r . T h e p o s itio n o f a
V o l c a n o L iai son O ff ice r ( V L O ) did a Public in fo rm atio n Office r ( P I O ) w e r e a l s o cre a t e d
an d als o a tten d e d as co - o p te d m e m b e r d u r i n g e a ch m e e t i n g o f the E N B / P D C .
R V O ' s role at the E N B P D C m e e tin g s w a s to:
1
M a k e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s for s t a g e s o f alert to b e de c la re d b a s e d o n the prevailing
a n d / o r an ticip ated levels o f v o l c a n i c activity.
2
Is s u e inform ati on an d advi ce on the c u r r e n t vo lcan ic s itu atio n a n d the implications
o f w h a t w a s taki ng place.
3
Is s u e forec asts
d e v e lo p m e n ts .
4
Issue ad v ice on any c h a n g e s in the an ticipated sizes o f ar eas likely to b e af fec ted
and
probabilities
for
the
ti m ing
and
n a t u re
o f an ticip ated
a n d identify any ar eas in whi ch ex cep tiona l ha z ard s , n o t alre ad y c a te r e d fo r by the
E N B Provincial Di sas ter Plan, m ig h t occur.
5
Issue v olcan olo gica l info rm atio n and ad vice for use in u p d a t i n g the E N B Provincial
D i s a s t e r Plan.
6
M a k e re q u ests for assistance to m e e t increasing d e m a n d s b e i n g m a d e o n R V O by
the v o l c a n i c situation.
7
Raise c o n c e rn s o v e r situatio ns w h i c h interfered w i t h R V O activities o r o peration s.
8
Raise c o n c e rn s o v e r publication o f e r r o n e o u s an d d is t o rt e d re p o rts o n the volcanic
s itu ation by the media a n d m a k e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s for c o r r e c ti v e ac ti o n to be
taken.
9
A p p r o v e in fo rm atio n o n the volcanic situatio n p re p a re d b y the Public In form ation
Uni t fo r issue to the m ed ia and public.
D u r i n g the R ab au l crisis ( S t a g e 2 V o l c a n o Aler t) a re vised E N B Provincial
D is a s te r Plan w a s als o pu t in place. In c o n s u ltan tatio n w i t h R V O , a simplified
e v a c u a t i o n plan fo r R ab au l w a s p r e p a re d and issued to the pu blic b y the
E N B / P D C , a n d e v a c u a t i o n ex erc is es w e r e c o n d u c t e d . A co n t i n g e n c y pl an w a s
d r a w n up for R V O s t a f f an d thei r families.
In early 198 4 the Nati onal D i s a s t e r C o m m i t t e e ( N D C ) w a s s e t u p to p ro v id e
legislation to c o v e r d isaster pr ep ar ati o n and c a te r for n atio na l e m e r g e n c i e s .
T h e fun cti o n s o f the N D C are:-
to s u p e r v is e the national state o f p re p a re d n e s s for e m e r g e n c i e s a n d to r e p o r t o n it
to the N a ti o n al E x e c u t iv e C o u n c i l (N E C ) ;
-
to m ain tain the Nati onal E m e rg e n c y Plan o f the N E C ;
-
to assi gn responsibilities for d isas ter- re late d activities to d e p a r t m e n t s and o t h e r
bodies;
-
To
c o - o rd i n a t e
d ep a rtm en tal
relief
ac ti o n s
an d
co llate
national
relief
re qu ire m en ts ;
-
to ad v is e the N E C if an appe al for interna tional a s s is tan ce is required;
-
to lay d o w n gui d elin es for the pr ep ar ati on and fo rm a t o f p rovi nc ia l d isaster plans;
-
to e x a m i n e a n d w h e r e nec es sar y a p p r o v e all g ra n ts from national fu nds for
e m e r g e n c y relief;
-
to fo ster public a w a re n e s s o f the effects o f natural p h e n o m e n a a n d m eas u r es
w h i c h ca n be taken to p re v en t o r m itigate them ;
-
to s u p e r v is e the e s tab lis h m en t o f sto ckp iles o f re li e f supplies ;
-
in the c a s e o f a disas ter, to advi se the N E C o f all th e c i rc u m s t a n c e s a n d o n the
ad vis ab ility o f d ec la rin g a National E m e r g e n c y u n d e r the act.
T h e main co n trib u tio n m ad e by N D C to Rabaul d u rin g the 1 9 8 3 -8 5 crisis w a s the
p rovis io n o f funds for e m er g en cy - related publ ic w o r k s . N D C also a r r a n g e d for the
P a p u a N e w G uin ea D e fe n c e F o rc e to p ro v id e assis tanc e in d i s a s t e r p r e p a ra ti o n s and
a r r a n g e for d isaster m a n a g e m e n t ex p ert s to visit Rabaul to ac t as ad v isers to E N B / P D C
o n d isaster p re p a ra ti o n s an d to c o n d u c t ev a c u a t i o n exe rcises.
Further evacuation
e x e rc i s e s w e r e c o n d u c te d af te r the crisis period.
M a n y p r o b l e m s w e r e ex p e rien ce d with m ed ia re p o rt in g o n b o t h the vo l c a n i c situation
a n d e m e r g e n c y p re p a ra ti o n d u r i n g the crisis an d in partic ular d u r i n g early 1 9 8 4 w h e n
th er e w e r e o b v i o u s signs that the volcanic s itu ation w a s d e v e lo p i n g qui ckly an d w h e n
e m e r g e n c y p re p a ra ti o n s w e r e at their peak.
R e p o r t i n g o f ihe s itu ation varied from fairly ob jectiv e early in the crisis to ex a g g e r a te d ,
sensatio na l a n d in a fe w ca ses d is h o n es t a n d vindictive, b e f o re m o r e efficient an d formal
ch a n n e ls o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n had b ee n estab lishe d b e t w e e n R V O , the pr ovincia l authorit ies
( E N B / P D C ) a n d the media.
M o s t o f the p ro b l e m s o f media re p o rt in g o f vo lcan ic e m e r g e n c i e s e x p e ri e n c e d els e w h e re
w e r e als o e n c o u n t e r e d at R aba ul , b o t h by R V O and the E N B / P D C . T o en able a c c u ra te
situ ation re p o rts to b e issued to the gene ral public, a Public In f o rm a tio n Unit ( P I U ) w a s
esta bl is he d in early 198 4 an d a Public in fo rm atio n O ff ice r ( P i O ) w a s a p p o i n t e d . T h e
P IO 's j o b w a s to c o n d u c t a publicity c a m p a i g n on the d isaster p r e p a ra ti o n s b ein g ca rried
out . In f o rm a tio n Bulletins to explain the s itua tio n clearly an d concisely w e r e p rin ted by
the P IU a n d d is trib uted w idely. D esp ite the e s tab lis h m en t o f the P IU a n d a p p o i n t m e n t o f
a P IO , the m ed ia c o n t i n u e d to p ro vid e in ac curate inform ati on to the public. It w a s
d ec id e d then that a qualified geo scientis t lo be k n o w n as the V o lca n o lo g ic al Liaison
Of ficer V L O ) be at t a c h e d ίο PIU.
T h e V L O 's icsp x i s i b il i l j e s included, translating
scientifi c inform ati on to a la n g uag e t hat w o u l d b e u n d e r s t o o d by the public, issuing pre ss
releases, w ritin g articles, giv in g public talks, a n s w e ri n g en q u ire s an d g iv in g interview s
fo r the M ed ia. A privately published n e w s - s h e e t called the "Ra baul C o u rie r" w a s
estab lish ed to pu bl is h factual inf orm atio n on the vo lcan ic situation.
T h e in tro d u ction o f a V L O a n d n e w s - s h e e t did m u c h to re s to r e pu b lic c o n f id e n c e in the
d isaster p re p a ra ti o n s b ein g m a d e by the provincial au tho ri ties an d in the ability o f R V O
to p r o v i d e a d e q u a t e w a r n i n g o f an er u p ti o n s h o u l d the n e e d arise.
T h e publ ic in gen era l w e r e a w a r e o f the crisis s itu ation b e c a u s e o f the publicity in print
a n d o n radio. T h e wi d el y d is trib uted simplified h az ard a n d e v a c u a t i o n m a p w a s well
u n d e r s t o o d an d m an y v ac ated voluntarily to saf e areas o u t s i d e Rabaul while o t h e r s s en t
thei r fam ilies to oth er p ro v i n c e s or to their h o m e countrie s.
T h e 1 9 8 3 -8 5 crisis at Rabaul w a s the first r e c o rd e d vo lcan ic u n re s t th er e sin ce the 1 93 7
e r u p ti o n s .
A l t h o u g h it did no t lead to an er u p ti o n it p ro v i d e d a lot o f valuable
v olcan ol ogi ca l inform ati on to R V O .
T h e crisis pronK^ted the es tab lis h m en t o f National
a n d Provincial D isaster C o m m i t t e e s an d identified their roles d u r i n g crisis p erio d s .
The
crisis d e m o n s t r a t e d h o w c o r r e c t information co u ld b e rela yed to the publ ic from the
d i s a s t e r c o m m i t t e e s an d the n ew s media.
T h e public w e r e giv en an idea o f w h a t to
e x p e c t from fu ture v ol c a n i c crises and eruptions.
T h e crisis m a n a g e m e n t e x p e ri e n c e g ain ed from the Rabaul crisis is n o w b eing d r a w n on
d u r i n g e r u p ti o n s a n d u n re st at o t h e r v o l c a n o e s in P N G .