MAF responds to Cyclone Maila in Papua New Guinea

13th April 2026

MAF delivers food aid to Nissan Island in PNG’s Bougainville region (credit: Aquila Matit)

Cyclone Maila started hurtling through Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville region from 9 April before wreaking havoc in Milne Bay Province. In its wake, MAF has been evacuating survivors, flying in aid and undertaking aerial surveys to assess the damage. MAF’s Aquila Matit reports…

Floods and landslides caused by category five Cyclone Maila have killed at least 11 people including four children in the Bougainville region – an isolated collection of islands east of Papua New Guinea’s mainland (source: Pacific Media Network).

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville comprises Bougainville Island, Buka Island, the Green Islands, the Carteret Islands, the Nuguria Islands and numerous atolls (coral islands).

Bougainville is a collection of isolated islands & atolls east of PNG’s mainland (credit: Glenys Watson)

Bougainville is a collection of isolated islands east of PNG mainland (credit:Glenys Watson)

Critical infrastructure has been destroyed including roads and bridges. Supply chains, schools and businesses have been severely disrupted. Homes and health centres have been damaged. Riverbanks have burst and trees have been uprooted.

Food and medicine are in short supply. People are injured. Entire communities are cut off, which can only be reached by air.

Elsewhere in Milne Bay Province – the southern tip of PNG and its surrounding islands – damage is widespread and at least two lives have been lost (source ABC Pacific). MAF also operates in this area.

Continuous heavy rain and gale force winds are making relief efforts challenging.

PNG’s ‘The National’ described Maila as ‘the strongest cyclone ever to form in the tropical waters between PNG and the Solomon Islands.’

MAF is an integral part of Bougainville Government’s emergency response (credit: Kowara Bell)

MAF is integral to Bougainville Government’s emergency response (credit: Kowara Bell)

MAF begins emergency flights on 13 April 2026

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has declared a three-month state of emergency as it responds to the devastation. MAF is part of their emergency response.

At the request of ABG, MAF began its emergency relief flights on 13 April by flying a team to Nissan Island – one of the Green islands – which has a population of 12,000 people.

MAF flew an assessment team to Nissan Island to survey cyclone damage (credit: Aquila Matit)

MAF flies a team to Nissan Island to assess cyclone damage (credit: Aquila Matit)

The team – consisting of District Coordinator Sylvia Renetsi, Community Government Manager Marceline Butu, and Health Extension Officer Chris Vagelo – assessed the damage.

MAF delivers essential medical supplies to cut-off communities (credit: Aquila Matit)

When Maila cut off Nissan Island, MAF delivered food aid including bags of rice, and essential medical supplies.

Due to dangerous waters caused by the cyclone, Holy Cross Nissan High School was unable to replenish its food stocks for a week. When supplies were running low, MAF’s deliveries were a lifeline. School Head, John Irisie, takes up the story:

‘We came to Buka for the holiday break with 15 staff and students, but due to the disaster, we have been stranded here for over a week with our school boat. We had to leave 127 students behind on Nissan Island because they couldn’t get transport!

‘The first lot of rations have now been flown over to the school – my 127 students will now be happy! I’ve just put two of my teachers on the plane – they are very happy to be seeing their families again soon.

‘I am really thankful to MAF for stepping in and assisting us. In the event of a disaster, this kind of support is so valuable.’

John Irisie, Head Holy Cross Nissan High School on Nissan Island

School Head John Irisie is ‘really thankful’ for MAF’s assistance (credit: John Irisie)

Holy Cross is the only high school in the Bougainville region which provides secondary education to the surrounding islands and atolls of Carteret, Fit, Tasman, Motlock, Pororan, Petach, Sapusa, Matuchungan, Buka, and Bougainville.

Usually, it takes three hours by boat to travel from Nissan Island to Buka Island to pick up supplies, but in bad weather, it can take five. Regular travel to Buka is critical for replenishing food stocks. The boat can carry up to 600kg of rice bags, but that only feeds students and staff for five days.

Food supplies for 127 students at Holy Cross Nissan High School were dwindling (credit: John Irisie)

Food supplies at Holy Cross Nissan High School were dwindling (credit: John Irisie)

On 14 April, MAF conducted a survey flight across Bougainville Island in a bid to assess the damage. Around 20,000 people have been affected.

The western side of the island has been worst hit and in need of emergency assistance. Rising sea levels, landslides and uprooted trees have cut off roads in Arawa (north), Siwai (west) and Buin (south).

Teamwork makes emergency response possible

John Woodberry – who heads up MAF’s work in Bougainville – launched MAF’s partnership with the ABG a year ago. John says MAF’s swift response would not have been possible without his colleagues’ expertise:

‘We’re glad to be making use of MAF’s global disaster response capabilities to support communities in crisis here in Bougainville.

‘We’re grateful to our colleagues in Mount Hagen and Goroka for their swift response to the situation here, which involved assigning a pilot and an aircraft to survey the damage and transport the right people to the places in need of assistance.’

MAF’s John Woodberry (C) launched the partnership with ABG a year ago (credit: Corinne Woodberry)

John Woodberry (C) launched MAF/ABG partnership a year ago (credit: C.Woodberry)

In the coming days, MAF will deliver more aid to Nissan Island and Bougainville Island.

Fuel will also be flown to Nissan to sustain relief flights to the surrounding atolls. MAF will enable movement for communities and services which have been cut off by Maila and where boat travel is unsafe.

There are plans to conduct more survey flights to assess damage and to carry out shuttle flights for the authorities, emergency response teams, and partners.

Please pray for the communities affected by Cyclone Maila and for MAF’s efforts to help the region respond to this disaster.

Buin Airstrip on Bougainville Island – now communities can only be reached by MAF (credit: Kowara Bell)

Buin Airstrip, Bougainville Island, enables relief after Cyclone Maila (credit: Kowara Bell)

MAF responds to Cyclone Maila in Papua New Guinea

13th April 2026

Cyclone Maila started hurtling through Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville region from 9 April before wreaking havoc in Milne Bay Province. In its wake, MAF has been evacuating survivors, flying in aid and undertaking aerial surveys to assess the damage. MAF’s Aquila Matit reports…

MAF begins emergency flights on 13 April 2026

Teamwork makes emergency response possible

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