3,000 affected in Anglimp after road swept away

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

MORE than 3,000 people in the Anglimp local level government, Jiwaka, are affected after the road linking them to town was washed away after heavy rainfall.

The people at the Kaip Two and Kaip Three council wards were forced to walk long distances with their cargo after the Pangmana creek washed away a section of the road on Sunday night.

Steven Toi, a villager from Ruldi village, told The National that three buses and vehicles owned by Ruldi villagers were stranded at the village.

Toi said people were now forced to carry coffee bags, garden produce and other cargo to the other side of the road and continue their journey to Mt Hagen to sell them.

He said food gardens and coffee trees near the river banks were destroyed.

“This is a very important road link connecting Ruldi to rest of the highlands province and we would like to call on our local MP Joe Komun Koim to come to our assistance,” he said.

Toi said public servants living on the other side of the road were turning up late for work.

He said people operating trade stores had to carry goods back to the village.

He said many people living in Mt Hagen who frequently visited the village to buy posts for houses had stopped.

He also said some people were complaining water-borne diseases.