It's a challenging task exacerbated by the great distances and the remoteness. The region is a jungle swamp area that includes tribes which rely on subsistence farming and fishing. Most live in homes made of jungle materials and built on beaches. The prime minister of Papua New Guinea, Bill Skate, visited the area and said he was shocked by what he saw. I visited a hospital and saw a young girl, about eight years old, who had lost all her family.
Local officials say conditions are appalling.
Doctors say medication, blood banks and more surgeons are desperately needed for survivors, mostly suffering fractures and internal bleeding. Many of the injured told horrific stories of how they survived the black wall of water that engulfed them on Friday. The Australian air force has set up a field hospital in the nearby town of Vanimo, where hundreds of survivors have been ferried by helicopters. It is the main administrative centre and is close to the border of the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.