Concern for Manam villages after gardens destroyed

 VICTIMS of the Manam volcanic eruption living at Baliau village 

are facing a food shortage after heavy rain washed away their gardens.

Community leader James Sukua said heavy rain two weeks ago destroyed the village food gardens.

“The villagers, especially women, children and old people, are starving,” Sukua said.

Sukua said the heavy rain began on December 29 around 8pm. It continued non-stop the next day causing landslides.

“We made gardens on the thick volcanic ashes and when the heavy rain fell from the top of the crater, it swept away the food gardens,” he said.

“Because the ash soil is soft and island is steep, everything was washed away very quickly.”

Sukua said uprooted trees fell across gardens and on family homes.

He said village elders inspected the damage when the weather cleared and were surprised to see debris from the mountain top destroying everything on the slopes.

“Stones, logs and huge branches from uprooted trees blocked bush tracks leading to gardens and other hamlets of the village,” Sukua said.

Sukua called on the national and Madang provincial disaster and emergency services to provide immediate relief supplies of food.

He requested for water tanks to store clean drinking water.

Caretaker chairman for the Manam Restoration Project Paul Akuram said the K500,000 given to Manam people through the LLG for relief supplies was not enough.

“We need at least K1 miilion for this operation,” Akuram said.