Flooding finally subsides

By MICHELLE AUAMOROMORO and DALE LUMA
FLOODING in Mapaio village in Baimuru, Gulf, has subsided after a month, leaving the locals with destroyed gardens and no clean water for drinking and cooking.
Ward 14 member of Mapaio village Lazarus Kairi told The National yesterday that the village was prone to floods given its location at the mouth of the Purari River, but it was one of the longest periods of flooding since 2016.
Kairi said food gardens in the village were covered by mud after being under water for days.
He reported that the locals were digging up the mud to find remaining root crops such as cassava but most had been destroyed.

“They (villagers) are now surviving only on sago,” he said.
Kairi was thankful for the food supplies that was sent to them by Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta.
The ship carrying supplies, MV Bosavi, arrived at Kerema town on Monday.
Meanwhile, softdrink manufacturer Coca-Cola Amatil donated more than 3,000 cartons of tonic and soda water to the flood victims in the province.
The company gave the products after seeing an appeal for assistance made on social media as the flooding affected more than 60,000 people.
A Facebook flood appeal page was set up seeking assistance for those affected which resulted in Coke coming on board to help.
Rev Jack Moha, from the Sione Kami Memorial Church in Port Moresby, who is spearheading the flood relief, thanked the company for its donation.
Moha said the soda water and tonic water would be used to help prevent waterborne diseases as fresh water would be in limited supply.