Fears for 20,000 rising

The National Main Stories

By MALUM NALU
AT least 20,000 people in the earthquake-affected areas of Western are living in dwellings unstable and risky for occupation, according to an airline transporting relief supplies there.
Missionary Aviation Fellowship disaster response communication officer Andrea Rominger said water sources for Western people living near the border with Hela and Southern Highlands were also polluted.
“There are about 3500 people living in six care centres. At least 20,000 people in the affected areas live in unstable and dangerous houses,” he said.
“The water supplies have been damaged and in some cases people have no choice but to drink polluted water.
“A percentage of gardens have sustained not only landslides but damage to fences. Now pigs have invaded the gardens while the people are at the care centres.
“Extensive landslides have made rivers unpredictable and dangerous at this time and many people must cross rivers to get from their gardens to their houses.
“Health centres have collapsed. Many other aid posts are
not staffed or supplied with medicine.
“In short, while this disaster has affected some people more than others, lives are at risk and will continue to be so for the months to come.”
Rominger said that between March 5 and 10, a helicopter funded by Ok Tedi Mining Ltd flew programme specialist Anton Lutz, an Enga-based American Lutheran missionary, to more than 24 destinations in areas hit by the earthquake.
Rominger said: The MAF continued to work with the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) Aviation to deliver food, water and shelter. The goods are loaded in Mt Hagen and distributed by both airlines to villages;

  • Many donations have been received from local businesses and organisations – including one group from Hela which collected four tonnes of goods;
  • Over the past few days, rain had hampered efforts to deliver supplies to Bosavi;
  • MAF made deliveries on Tuesday to Yehebi, Habi and Fuma;
  • Huya airstrip is closed due to ground damage. Cracks are filling with water and sediment.

Meanwhile, a medical team from the Defence Force is treating people at the Angore station in Hela.
The medical team treated men and women and children and immunised babies.