Fly River people appeal for urgent relief assistance

PEOPLE living along the Fly River who have been affected by flooding three weeks ago are in dire need of urgent food relief and medical supplies, a local official said.
Councillor Kebei Salee Koeget from Sigabadru village in the South Fly district of Western province told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat programme that they now survive on bush tuckers and sagos.
He said water sources are still polluted and food gardens are destroyed and they are in need of urgent relief and supplies.Flooding around the Fly River estuary subsided three weeks ago but authorities are still struggling to get aid to some of the most affected areas.
“People are really starving and we are not able to rely on our traditional food source such as sago because we do not have them in the coastal areas.
“We also do not have medical supplies. People are already sick with fever, running nose and other diseases,” Koeget said.He planned to travel to Daru to speak to provincial government officials about this the urgent releif assistance.