Sandaun Province – the Aitape tsunami of July 1998
In July 1998 an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 triggered an enormous tsunami along the coast near Aitape, taking the lives of more than 2,000 people. The disaster is still remembered across the province and far beyond, and it changed the way coastal communities think about the sea. Formerly known as West Sepik, Sandaun is the north-westernmost mainland province of Papua New Guinea, covering some 35,920 square kilometres, with Vanimo as its capital and a land border with Indonesia. Villages such as Lido, Waromo, Yako, Musu and Wutung line the west coast. Members are warmly invited to share their own stories, memories and photographs of the province.