People in Simbu who may have been affected by the recent 7.6 magnitude earthquake will have to wait a little longer for relief assistance to reach them. Reports received by the Simbu Provincial Disaster Office from the 6 districts suggests that damages to properties and infrastructure may have been severe but the extent is unknown until an assessment team is able to visit the districts. Simbu Province Disaster Coordinator Paul Brown said his office is unable to ascertain the extent of damage within the 6 districts due to logistical issues faced. He said, they will be able to carry out a full scale assessment once they are equipped with logistics, to assist the earthquake victims with the kind of assistance needed. Mr Brown said most business houses in Kundiawa suffered the effects of the tremors with three (3) major shops now closed after damages to the shops that are now tilted sideways. "JNF Mart, JR Trading and Temo-Mart are the shops that are currently closed at this time.  And it is not clear when the shops will be opened." "These shops and other shops too had items and goods either damaged or displaced after falling off the shelves to the floor. Even the refrigerators have fallen and goods stored in them scattered on the floors." Mr Brown also received reports of damages from Kundiawa Nursing College which had one of its College Quarters shaken and is now lying sideways. A full assessment on the damages is yet to be established. "We have not received confirmed reports of casualties but are not ruling that out until our team can carry out full scale assessments," said Brown. Mr Brown also highlighted that the Disaster Office had received reports of road infrastructures being damaged because of the earth quake, and most feeder roads into the 6 districts have being cut off by landslides and boulders however there are no reports of major casualties. “There are reports coming in from village leaders and councillors regarding damages to semi and permanent buildings that collapsed as a result of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake,” said Mr Brown. PC: Kalakai Photograph