Continuous rain affecting services

CONTINUOUS rain in the hinterlands of the Owen Stanley Range is affecting transport and services in the Biaru and Waria villages of Bulolo.
The only road connecting the villages to Bulolo town and Lae is the Wau-Garaina road which is almost unpassable.
Ward Councillor Jack Pamon from the Waria local level government said the condition of the road had worsened.
“The road is our only access to the area. It has been causing a lot of inconvenience in term of service delivery,” he said.
“Nearly all the schools in the two local governments of Waria and Wau Rural have not started classes yet and this is a concern.
“Right now cars cannot travel past Wisini because the road has completely been cut off. Teachers cannot travel to schools.”
According to an assessment report done by the Waria Local Level Government in January of ward recorders, village elders and village court officials through interviews and observations, the road was the main problem.
“From November 2018 to January 2019, continuous strong wind and rain were experienced throughout the whole area (Biaru, Waria, Garaina),” it stated.
“This extreme weather pattern has a drastic effect on the road infrastructure causing numerous soft spots, heavy erosions forming ditches and landslides on roadsides and river deltas.”