Flood affects community

 THE River Girimb burst its banks on Sunday causing widespread flooding that affected families living in squatter settlements in Mt Hagen.

Most of the families lost their homes and domestic animals.

Properties, including household goods, were either damaged or swept away. Food gardens were damaged.

Chairman of the flood relief organising committee in the Chimbu compound at Hagen Tee, Daniel Tangi said he had been living there for almost all his life and had never seen a natural disaster as bad as this.

He said homes and food gardens were badly damaged or swept away.Parents quickly evacuated family members when flood waters began rising at around 2pm.

He said children could not go to school.

Tangi said the flood affected people at New Town, Hagen Tee, HMI and Warakum.

Tangi said a full report on the damage would be submitted to the provincial disaster office, MP William Duma and Governor Paias Wingti.

“It is our home. We will wait for the government to help us so that we can return to our normal lives,” Tangi said.