Floods destroy gardens, displace 700 people

MORE than 700 people have been displaced after floods destroyed their homes and gardens as a result of continuous heavy rain recently at Miunde village, Kerowagi, Chimbu, according to a community spokesman.
The people of Yuri clan in Gumini who settled in Miunde and lived along the Wahgi River for more than five decades, lost much of their food gardens, homes, properties and have sought refuge in nearby villages.
Wesly Noisa said the continuous rainfall had caused the river to flood, covering a village and destroying gardens along its banks.
“The flood destroyed most of the houses, livestock, gardens and graves,” he said.
Noisa said people of Orkodrugle in Miunde lost more than two hectares of coffee trees in the flooding. The victims were left homeless and hungry after fleeing to safety on higher ground.
Noisa said the affected people were unsure of how they would restore their lives and where they would get help from.
Local councillor Tapi Kaiglo said the people of the Yuri clan and others needed to be relocated to a safer area otherwise they would only return to their homes and rebuild their lives but always be in danger of the river when it flooded.
Meanwhile, the leaders including two councillors, Kaiglo and Poiye Clement, appealed to the Chimbu provincial disaster office and the district authorities to provide relief for the displaced people and look at addressing their situation.