Crocodile attacks worry preacher

CROCODILE attacks on people of a local community in Huon Gulf, Morobe, since 2013 has claimed the lives of nine persons, according to a local Baptist Church preacher.
Timothy Ivan of Kobo village, ward 11 in Morobe local level government, said that attacks so far had claimed a male child, two adult males and six females since 2013.
He said the latest attack was on a female towards the end of November last year.
“It is very scary for the two villages of Kobo and Sapa in ward 11 and Tona in ward 14, which are the villages along the river banks,” said Ivan.
A total of four females and a man were injured during the attacks but survived.
He said in all the attacks by the crocodiles over the years, they only recovered body parts of those attacked and never at one time did they locate a whole body.
“When we know that a person has been attacked by a crocodile and we would go out searching and sometimes locate body parts like legs, hands, intestine only.
“Never at one time have we located the whole body of the person being attacked,” he said.
Many of those that were attacked by crocodiles were eaten.
“The attacks by the crocodiles happened six months apart on the main route along the river that the people use to go gardening, fishing and hunting,” he said.
He said the waterway was now dangerous as local knowledge has it that crocodiles used that area as a breeding ground.
Ivan said the attacks by the crocodiles had placed the locals in serious danger and they were asking if police and other concerned authorities could evaluate the situation and help in getting rid of the danger they were now faced with.
Meanwhile, assistant commissioner of police, Northern, Peter Guinness said he had sent a police unit to assess the situation during the festive season.
He confirmed that Ivan was the one reporting the situation to him, but did not confirm further if another team of policemen would be sent again.