PNG inland faces more rain

 By MOUA OMOA

HEAVY rain and flash flooding will be experienced mainly in the inland areas as PNG faces an extended wet season, according to the national weather office.

Office director Sam Maiha said the possibility of an extended rainy season up to June was because of a delay in the natural rainfall cycle in the country. 

“What we are going through is our normal wet season. But we could face an extension because we are into the wet season late,” Maiha said.

He said the wet season would be more intense than usual because the ocean or seas were warmer by 0.5 degrees over the normal sea temperature.

“The 0.5 degrees can seem small but in terms of the amount of moisture, it will be significant,” 

he said.

“But this is part of the normal wet season and people can be assured that we have already experienced the worst part of the wet season last month.”

West New Britain, East New Britain and Bougainville will experience a bit more rain in the next week or two as well as the south coast and highlands.

He warned people living along river banks or in inland areas to take precautions about possible flooding.

Maiha said motorists should also take extra care because of infrastructure development such as the construction of new roads. Loose earth can clog drains thus cause flooding.