Funding key to tacking disasters

By JACINTA COHLEE
THE Morobe disaster office was able to carry out its mandated role with some success last year despite lacking adequate funding and capacity as well as ready access to supplies, says an official.
Despite the challenges, provincial disaster coordinator Charlie Masange said he was hopeful the new year would see his office improve on areas needed in the field.
Last year, parts of Morobe were affected by floods, drought and landslides.
The drought had an impact on communities in grassland areas and the islands while mountainous parts of the province were prone to landslides and slips and areas near rivers were at risk of flooding during periods of heavy rain.
Many affected communities called on the provincial government for aid in terms of relief supplies and funding to bury their relatives or buy materials to build new homes. Some bridges collapsed cutting areas off from services and making travel difficult and dangerous.
Masange said while it was challenging, his office managed to offer assistance to the affected people.
The rebuilding and maintenance of infrastructure are continuing this year, for instance, Busu Bridge reconstruction at Nawaeb, which will cost about K18 million as some materials and components needed to construct the bridge were not available in the country.
Masange said his office was stretched at times addressing disasters on several fronts.
“When we’re trying to help the victims of floods, the drought victims are calling for assistance, and funding constraints slowed the progress of work,” he said.
The disaster team has been informing and educating as many people living in remote areas of the province regarding disaster-related issues through awareness.
But many more isolated areas were not reached due to times, funding and logistical capacity.
“Not all people are aware of how to take precautions and avoid a natural disaster, therefore, respective authorities must help the disaster team to provide more awareness to locals residing in the remotest areas of the province.”
Masange said the team from the disaster office normally gave awareness and advised people to relocate and to settle on land that was suitable for habitation with a lower risk to natural disasters but many of the warnings and promptings had been largely ignored.

Last year, Tewae-Siassi’s mainland and islands along with Markham and some parts of Huon Gulf were hit by drought; Lae, Nawaeb and some parts of Huon Gulf, Wau-Waria and Bulolo were in the midst of flooding due to heavy downpour, while Menyamya was hit by a landslide as was Wantoat in Markham recently.
Masange warned people to consult weather forecasts before traveling on dinghies and ships, and people living along fast flowing rivers and near mountains to move to safer locations to avoid becoming victims of natural disasters.
Many boats have capsized between Morobe’s Tewae-Siassi and Finschhafen seas along in the Huon Gulf, which Masange said boat operators and the owners consistently ignored warnings and overloaded their boats when traveling.
“Refrain from overloading because boats capsize mainly due to that reason,” he said.
“There are plenty of mishaps along the Tewae-Siassi and Finschhafen areas where many deaths and missing were reported, last year.
“It’s quite a challenge for the disaster team.”
Masange also acknowledged the National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA), Water Police, and representatives from districts, local level governments and locals who helped his office search for and retrieve bodies of the missing.
He appealed to districts, LLGs and wards to work with his office because natural disasters occur without warning so people must be alert and ready to act to protect themselves.
Meanwhile, Masange said Morobe had faced a lot of challenges due to the geography of the province but, aside from this, the Morobe Disaster office had managed to overcome these obstacles and was looking forward to working with the wards, local level governments, districts and the province this year.
“Our officers are always on standby to attend to any emergency in the districts.”