Aitape flooded

 PROPERTIES and cash crops have been destroyed during a flood which  forced closure of services after a heavy downpour last Wednesday in Aitape, West Sepik. 

Seven houses including the cemetery of both eastern and western end of Ulabarai village in Ulau along the East Coast of Aitape, were destroyed after Daieup and Sanim rivers over flowed, causing flood. 

In Aitape area, there are 15 rivers that are not accessible by bridges, which always flood heavily during continuous and heavy downpour.

Last Wednesday, at 12.15 the flood from both rivers over flowed their banks and destroyed the villages including the Raihu district hospital.

Another two rivers flooded heavily and damaged a new road linking the newly Machiem bridge recently being maintained and destroyed cocoa fermentries and washed away some of the dried cocoa bean bags ready for sale.

About 256 people were affected during the flood.

In March, there was another flood that destroyed the same two villages.

A report was delivered to the Provincial Disaster Office in Vanimo, National Disaster Office and a copy was send to the office of the Minister for Climate Change. 

In a report sent to The National, it stated that to date, no response (assistance) came back to the victims affected by the flood.

It stated that villagers who were affected requested tents, hammers, saws, nails and tape measures etc, so that they could relocate their families to a new location away from their current danger zone unfortunately they were once again affected last week.

A report was again sent to the same authorities for assistance.