Flood causes havoc in Jiwaka

 By TONY PALME KIP

ABOUT 50 people are homeless and hundreds have been displaced after the Waghi River flooded communities alongside it in South Waghi, Jiwaka.

In an email yesterday, provincial disaster coordinator John Kupul said that two weeks of constant rainfall caused floods that burst river banks and swept houses at Water Lilly, a section at Waghi Bridge along the Highlands Highway.

“When we visited the area on Monday, we found that four family homes were completely damaged and more than 50 people from those families are homeless,” Kupul said.

“They need immediate resettlement to the higher grounds.”

Kupul said that countless food gardens, cash crops, domesticated animals and homes were flooded- perhaps one of the worst in the area.

“If rain continues, we expect traffic along the highway to come to a halt,” he said.

Flood victim, Michael Mangil, said following rain, Water Lilly village was the first area to be  affected.

Mangil stressed that due to land issues, they could not resettle anywhere when disasters struck.

He appealed to humanitarian organisations to help resettle them.

Kupul said he would negotiate with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), based at Banz, to consider assisting in resettlement.

He said many children were not attending school because of food shortages and no proper homes.