Hailstorm hits Komun area the second time

By AGNES FIFI UKI
ANOTHER hailstorm hit the Komun area of Anglimp-South Waghi in Western Highlands on Monday night, destroying many food gardens.
About three weeks ago, the first hailstorm hit the area that affected more than 500 people at Ketel village.
The storm destroyed food gardens, homes and the domestic animals that the people kept were also affected.
This was reported by The National on Dec 1.
Villagers said in Monday’s incident, they found huge junks of ice lying everywhere on the ground, destroying what had remained of their food gardens from the first hailstorm.
They said that a continuation would mean there would be starvation in the next four to five months.
Ward assistant and community leader Jeffery Kuri said the victims could not do much because all of them depended on their garden foods and cash crops to sustain them.
He said villagers feared for the worst because the hailstorm had hit them again in a short space of time.
Kuri said he had visited the Mt Hagen disaster office following the first incident but no assistance was given to his people.
He is appealing to responsible government authorities and donor agencies to assist them.