People affected by flood need help

 THE Jiwaka provincial disaster office is calling on the authorities to provide relief funding to help people displaced by floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall.

After receiving numerous calls from affected communities, provincial disaster coordinator John Kupul told The National last Friday that he was furnishing a flood report and would shortly submit it to the concerned authorities for immediate assistance.

He said continuous heavy downpour recently has resulted in streams and the Waghi River flooding food gardens, homes and causing landslides.

Kupul said people were trying to rebuild their lives severely affected by the recent El Nino-induced drought along the fertile river banks when they were suddenly struck by floods.

“The flood is really affecting people’s livelihood and some of the displaced families are at the moment relocating or seeking refuge in the neighborhood,” he said.

Kupul reported that food gardens and cash crops planted along the banks of the Waghi River were destroyed by flood including hundreds of new gardens and several houses.

“First, people suffered from drought and now the flood, it is a double tragedy for Jiwaka people and they deserve to be assisted,” Kupul said.

He appealed to the authorities to respond immediately as the disaster had devastated their lives.