School continues despite floods

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday 15th April, 2013

 Story by ROSELLYN ELLISON

A SCHOOL in the flood-affected area of East Sepik continued as normal up to last Friday when students began the first term break.

The St Andrew’s Rural Community College at Sapandai village in Middle Sepik, Wosera-Gawi district, operated as normal despite the adverse weather condition.

Floods had been experienced in the area for almost three months and people in the three districts of Angoram, Ambunti-Dreikikir and Wosera-Gawi were badly affected.

Government services such as health and education were also affected with many schools forced to close well before the first term break.

Garden food including cash crops were destroyed.

College manageress Emilyn Kopania said the water level had risen to four metres.

“Classes for first-year community health worker training continued despite the flood,” Kopania said.

She said destroyed in the mixed farming project were food crops, flowers and plants.

She said many of the library books were damaged or washed away.

Kopania said many schools near the Sepik River area were forced to close because of flooding.

She urged officials from the provincial disaster office in Wewak to inspect the most affected areas and submit their reports to the National Disaster Office in Port Moresby.

“This flood situation is an ongoing natural disaster which Sepik River people have been experiencing almost every year,” she said.

“By now, the disaster office in Wewak should be aware of the situation.”

Attempts to get comments from the disaster office in Wewak were unsuccessful.