Flooded tracks strand villagers

 By PHILIP KEPSON

MORE than 1,500 people in the gold-rich area of Mt Kare in Enga, are stranded as their foot tracks to their villages are submerged by flooding creeks.

Government officials and villagers said the main foot tracks from Porgera to Mt Kare across the Karapuga Valley were cut off as the Wali and Pinuni creeks flooded the north-western end of the area with waters rising as high as 20m.

Mt Kare sub-district manager Mande Kama said if the bad weather continued with strong winds and rain, people from the six settlements, including Mt Ipusa, Maratane, Taparapa and Minima, which were around Mt Kare, would face serious problems, mainly shortage of food.

He said the two other foot tracks from Paiela and Tari could not be used to transport food and other basic items because of the long distance and the rugged terrains.

A proper road is yet to be built to Mt Kare, which is one of the coldest spots in the country, about 3,400m above sea level.

Local level government ward councillor from Paiela, Kandipi Iyupa, said prices of basic food items such as rice and canned fish would triple if bad weather continued.

“We are already paying double price for basic items, including cigarette and betel nuts. 

“If the bad weather continues, we will pay K350 for a bag of betel nuts and K7 for soft drinks, which is twice the amount we are now paying,” he said.

Ipusa market vendors Angela Bakau and Pepsi Maso said they were selling their last stocks of items they brought in five days ago.

They said if the bad weather continued, they would stop their sales.

Employees of the Mt Kare gold project would not be affected as they used helicopters to carry out  daily operations.