Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Australia - Tropical cyclone MAILA, update (GDACS, IFRC, Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service, JTWC, media) (ECHO Daily Flash of 9 April 2026)

Countries: Papua New Guinea, Australia, Solomon Islands Source: European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Tropical cyclone MAILA is moving towards eastern Papua New Guinea over the Solomon Sea after it crossed the Solomon Islands. On 9 April at 00 UTC, its centre was located offshore, approximately 200 km south of southern Bougainville Island (eastern Papua New Guinea), with maximum sustained winds of 185 km /h. Following its passage over Solomon Islands affecting Choiseul, Western, Isabel, Guadalcanal and Central provinces, seven people are missing, 120 have been displaced and almost 73 000 people in total are affected. MAILA is forecast to move south-west, crossing Muyua Island (Milne Bay Province, eastern Papua New Guinea) on 10–11 April and to approach the south-eastern coasts of Papua New Guinea on 12–13 April as a tropical storm. For the next 48 hours, heavy to very heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surge are expected over eastern Papua New Guinea. Manus, New Ireland, West and East Sepik, and New Britain Island are under red warnings for strong winds.
2026-04-09 11:29:09