Australia's defence Force continues to assist Papua New Guinea in its response to the Highlands earthquake disaster.
Members of a quake-hit community in PNG's Hela province, March 2018. Photo: PNG PM Media Office
This is despite some PNG media reports that aircraft made available by Australia in the immediate emergency response phase were completing their tasks by yesterday.
Three weeks after a devastating 7.5-magnitude earthquake in Hela province, some areas are still to get relief.
The quake has killed at least 125 people and estimates reported more than 270,000 people required immediate humanitarian assistance.
A spokesperson at Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says Defence Force assets remain in PNG supporting the government's relief efforts.
He said Australia was liaising closely with PNG authorities on ongoing needs and how it might assist.
To date, a Royal Australian Air Force Hercules plane has made 22 flights, transporting over 178 tonnes of relief supplies in to the remote quake-hit region where transport links have been badly disrupted.
The Australian, PNG government and humanitarian partner medical and humanitarian supplies have been flown to warehouses in the Southern Highlands (Moro) and Western Highlands (Mt Hagen).
Australia has also deployed three CH47 Chinook helicopters and additional ADF personnel, who are supporting the onward distribution of food, water and medical supplies to affected communities
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Defence Force has withdrawn its two Hercules aircraft after being infomed that no further assistance was being sought by the PNG Government at the present time.
The NZDF delivered 18 tonnes of aid and deployed 37 personnel to Papua New Guinea on two RNZAF C-130 Hercules aircraft as part of the New Zealand Government's assistance to PNG.
The two C-130 Hercules then airlifted 70 tonnes of food, water and medical supplies from Port Moresby to Moro and Mount Hagen.
Australian doctors heading to quake-hit PNG
Meanwhile, Australian doctors are being deployed to Papua New Guinea amid fears of water-borne disease following last month's earthquake.
Photo: Twitter/ @MartynNamorong
The Prime Minister Peter O'Neill told The National Australian doctors had been cleared to join a team of PNG medical specialists being dispatched to remote areas.
He said the government was starting to reach many of the remote communities, supplying medicine, food and other supplies.
Mr O'Neill told the paper MPs and district officials had been trying to mobilise supplies and medicine and get the injured and sick out.
He said pledges to the government relief effort had exceeded $US30 million, with $US1.5 million of that coming from the private sector.