Islanders prepare for life after Kadovar eruption

By GYNNIE KERO
ABOUT 691 people have been displaced from their homes on Kadovar Island in East Sepik since Jan 5 after a volcano began spewing ash and smoke and has continued to do so for more than a week.
Ship and boat operators have been warned to stay away from the island.
Ruprup islander and former police sergeant Bruno Kaib said they used five dinghies to evacuate the people from the neighbouring Kadovar Island that Friday night.
“Two boats from Kadovar have engines, three boats didn’t so people had to paddle,” he said.
Governor Allan Bird had said the people would return to the island after three years when the volcanic activities had quietened down enough.
Kadovar Primary School head teacher Beven Fandim said they would have to enrol their students, particularly those in the upper grades, at other schools this year.
Former prime minister Sir Michael Somare, who accompanied Bird on a visit to Ruprup on Saturday, said: “(I’ve retired from politics and I’m now in Wewak but I’m going to help the Governor Allan Bird with advice and speak to some of contacts to help our people at Kadovar.”
Food distribution at Ruprup Island was completed on Saturday with more than 200 households receiving food, water supplies and tarpaulins.
People from Ruprup were also catered for.