Flood washes away bridges and homes in remote Morobe

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

SIX bridges, houses and livestock were washed away in a remote area of Morobe after continuous rain caused flooding. 

The disaster happened four months ago but was not reported until yesterday after a villager from the Yus local level government in Kabwum walked for three days to reach Wantoat in Leron, Markham, where he caught a bus to Lae.

Thomas Botin, 42, from Uropon the border of Madang (Raicoast) and Morobe (Kabwum) said the flood swept away homes, gardens and bridges.

“It is almost four months now after the disaster but no one from the district, provincial government or LLG has visited the area and provided help,” Botin said.

“People are finding it hard to cross the fast-flowing river. We want our bridges to be rebuilt.”

The damaged bridges are at Keweng, Teptep, Nokopo, Paup, Wandabong and Bogiman. 

He said the Yus LLG was only accessible by air. 

He said people had to walk for three days to the nearest bus stop in Wantoat to catch a bus to town.

“We have 8,000 people in Yus LLG but we don’t have any mobile network coverage,” he said.

He said six schools and four aidposts also faced problems with supplies because often planes did not arrive on time.

He said coffee grew well in the area but because of no road access, the produce could not be transported to town.

Botin urged the Morobe provincial or district officials to go there and see for themselves the problem they faced so that help could be provided.