17 houses, food gardens washed away by floods

 SEVENTEEN houses and food gardens were washed away by heavy flooding in the Bundi area of Usino-Bundi district last week.

People living along the Baiyer River at Biamut village reported that force from the flood eroded the banks and land where part of the village was and demolished 17 houses and big food gardens.

Madang provincial disaster office acting director Rudolph Mongallee said he and his team visited the damaged area and assessed the situation last week.

“The river diverted its course, not flowing down the original pathway it used do, it changed its direction and headed straight to the village and destroyed the entire community and carried away houses and food gardens,” Mongallee said.

He said the river was now 100m away from where it was originally flowing.

He said the situation there was categorised level three because some houses were partly removed by the floods.

Mongallee said other areas were categorised level four,  totally destroyed by flood and carried away into Ramu River.

He said the rain continued in the area for three days before the erosion and people had expected the disaster and so were prepared for it.

“They were prepared to face the disaster, fortunately no lives were lost,” Mongallee said.

The disaster office issued food supplies to the villagers and would also supply building materials for their houses later.