02/06/2026
| ๐โ ๏ธ Preparedness Actions & Warning Alerts (PAWA)
Today in Parliament, Hon Gov. Gary Juffa raised urgent and important questions regarding Papua New Guineaโs preparedness for the predicted El Niรฑo event expected to impact the country into 2027.
Drawing from the impacts of previous disasters, including drought, crop failures, food insecurity, water shortages, disease outbreaks, and the recent devastation caused by Cyclone Maila, the Governor called for stronger preparedness and accountability measures.
The six key questions raised to the Minister for National Emergency and Disaster, included;
1. What is the total amount of funding allocated by the National Government for El Niรฑo preparedness and response activities, and how much has already been released to provinces and disaster committees?
2. What is the governmentโs operational preparedness plan, including timelines for procurement, transportation, and pre-positioning of emergency food supplies, drought-resistant planting materials, water storage facilities, and water purification equipment in vulnerable districts and communities?
3. What arrangements are in place with government agencies, the private sector, transport providers, and development partners to ensure timely delivery of emergency supplies and humanitarian assistance to remote and isolated communities?
4. What measures are being undertaken with the Ministry of Health and provincial authorities to ensure aid posts, health centres, and district hospitals are adequately stocked with medicines, medical supplies, and emergency resources to respond to malnutrition, dehydration, waterborne diseases, and other El Niรฑo-related health impacts?
5. Has the government completed provincial vulnerability assessments and risk mapping, and which provinces and districts have been identified as priorities for immediate intervention and support?
6. What mechanisms are in place to ensure regular public reporting and communication to affected communities regarding preparedness measures, emergency response activities, and the availability of assistance during the El Niรฑo period?
In response, the Minister for National Emergency and Disaster acknowledged the seriousness of the threat, stating that scientists are predicting an 82% chance of a โsuper El Niรฑo,โ potentially one of the worst seen in decades.
The Minister explained that Papua New Guineaโs disaster management approach is guided by the Disaster Management Act 1984 and emphasized that disaster management is a cycle consisting of:
โข Mitigation & Prevention
โข Preparedness
โข Response
โข Recovery
He acknowledged that PNG has often focused more on responding to disasters after they happen, but stressed the importance of investing more into preparedness and recovery.
The Minister also confirmed that interagency assessment team, including; the National Weather Service, National Disaster Centre, UNDP, IOM, and other partners have already been deployed to vulnerable provinces (in the Highlands Region) to conduct early assessments.
However, the Minister did not provide direct answers to all six questions during todayโs session. Instead, he acknowledged the importance of the questions and confirmed that he would provide a formal response within the current sitting of Parliament after further review and reporting.
At Hauskuk Initiative (HKI), we believe this national discussion is critically important given Madang is also a disaster prone maritime province. And as a local NGO who works in this space to support and build the leadership, knowledge and skills of diverse women and young women in communities in Madang around mitigation and preparedness, it is important we align our efforts to the government's plan around mitigation and preparedness.
By now we need to understand that, real resilience begins at community level. Investment must go into community-based protection, mitigation, preparedness, and early action. We must build the skills, awareness, systems, and resilience of our local people, especially women, young people, and vulnerable communities, so they are equipped to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.
Communities are always the first responders in every community/ villages throughout Papaua New Guinea. Invest in enhancing mitigation and preparedness skills and knowledge of our local people. Preparedness saves lives.
Please follow these pages for updates and stay informed; World Meteorological Organization PNG National Weather Service Climate Change and Development Authority UNDP in Papua New Guinea UNDRR
An El Niรฑo event is expected from mid-2026, impacting global temperature and rainfall patterns.
WMOโs global seasonal climate update signals a clear shift in the Equatorial Pacific. Sea-surface temperatures are rising rapidly, pointing to a likely return of El Niรฑo conditions as early as MayโJuly 2026. Forecasts indicate there is a โnearly global dominance of above-normal land surface temperaturesโ in the next three months, along with regional variations in rainfall patterns.
El Niรฑo (and La Niรฑa) is one of the most powerful climate patterns on Earth. It occurs when ocean surface temperatures warm in the central and eastern Equatorial Pacific, typically every 2-7 years for around 9-12 months.
Note: WMO does not use the term โsuper El Niรฑoโ because it is not part of standardized operational classifications.
What to expect?
๐ก๏ธ Warmer global climate
๐ฅ Increased chances of extreme weather such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall
๐ง๏ธ Increased rainfall in parts of southern South America, the southern United States, the Horn of Africa and central Asia
๐ฅต Drier conditions over Australia, Indonesia, and parts of southern Asia
โ During the Boreal summer, increase of hurricanes in the central/eastern Pacific Ocean, but fewer in the Atlantic Basin
WMO will release a full El Nino Update in late May, after the end of the so-called โspring predictably barrierโ.
