Madang flood wreaks havoc on homes, assets

National, Normal

MANY families and businesses lost properties worth thousands of kina, destroyed by continuous heavy rain in Madang over the weekend.
The Motorist Discount Centre and Goldbell Construction firm workers were among victims.
The workers, who are accommodated at the back of the company’s premises on Modilon Road, lost electrical appliances and other household items after rain water flooded the narrow drainage and outlets and into their homes knee-deep.
The occupants, numbering more than 20, claimed the water ran through the narrow drain nearby flooding their rooms, forcing them to stay awake until daybreak.
They said flood waters also destroyed personal items like computers, printers, electric sewing machines, electric stoves, beddings and clothes.
Goldbell Construction manager Jun Manon, who also rents an office and a workshop space at the premises, claimed that many of his electrical equipment for work and personal items were destroyed.
The employees of Motorist Discount Centre claimed they have raised the complaint with their management but they were always told to leave if they wanted to complain.
They said they paid rent to the company but their plights were never looked into.
They, however, had to live with the problem as they had no choice.
They called on the authorities to look into the problem.