Flood washes away bridge

 THE West Coast Highway to and from Vanimo, West Sepik, has been cut off after the bridge at Daunda Creek was washed away by floodwaters.

The wooden bridge between Lido and Vanimo town was washed away in the early hours of Sunday after the creek burst its banks.

It cuts off the access to Vanimo town for people from Lido, Waromo, Yako, Mushu and Wutung.

They cannot access the Batas Market on the border with Indonesia at Wutung.

It affects people travelling to Vanimo from inland Bewani. 

They will have to go back to Green to use the East Coast Highway to get into town.  

Overseas surfers at Lido had to use boats to reach Vanimo and catch the Sunday flights to Port Moresby.

Landowner Nick Nati said it was the fourth time the bridge had been washed away.

Nati said he wanted to see a proper and permanent bridge built over the creek so that it did not get washed away too easily.

He said the Department of Works at Vanimo had conducted an assessment of the damage.