Radio station closed after lightning cuts service

THE people of Eastern Highlands will not be kept updated on the progress of vote counting as the local National Broadcasting Cooperation (NBC) radio station is off air.
The radio station has been out for more than two months after a lightning struck the transmitter at Mt Kiss in Goroka.
A local, John Waiyaki, said it was frustrating that there would be no broadcasting during this critical period in the election.
Director of the provincial radio station, Agnes Inape, said the April lightning had struck three transmitters simultaneously as well as a meter box on Mount Kiss, severely damaging the installations.
Inape said NBC Goroka’s transmitter was repaired by NBC technicians but could not be installed unless the earth wire and the lightning arrester were fixed and relocated to a higher altitude on the pole.
She said a private technician engaged previously failed to rectify the problem.
“He installed the device at the height of about 45 metres (on the tower) which rendered the installation vulnerable to lightning strikes during storm and torrential rains.”
Inape is hopeful that the station will switch on again within the next three weeks.