Heavy rain, flood on New Year’s Eve blocks road access

By ROSELYN ELLISON
THE New Year was welcomed in East New Britain with continuous heavy rains and flooding.
On New Year’s Day the coastal road connecting Rabaul and Kokopo was unpassable in places as heavy flooding prevented vehicles from travelling to and from both towns forcing traffic to take the longer route along the Toma-Vunadidir road.
The aftermath of the heavy downpour on New Year’s Eve
resulted in destroyed homes, cash crops and a totally blocked road.
Vehicles were trapped while trying to cross the overflowing bridges along the Malapau and Ialakua villages within the Raluana local level government (LLG) of Kokopo district
Passengers from town, including mothers who sell their goods at the main market in Kokopo, were left stranded and were left with no choice but to spend the New Year’s Eve away from their families. People from six wards within the Raluana LLG called on their provincial government to engage the Works Department for the clearing of their roads as well as the upgrading and maintenance of all the roads in the province.
The six wards affected by the flooding were: Balanataman, Ranguna, Raluana, Ialakua, Baravon and Nguvalian.
Benson Tolut from Raluana village speaking on behalf of the six wards said poor road conditions caused by flooding during heavy rain was an ongoing issue.
Tolut said roads in their district needed to be constructed better and maintained regularly in order to withstand adverse weather conditions.