Tots’ tragic ride

By GABRIEL LAHOC
A quadruplet set of babies died in an ambulance by the banks of the flooded Kumalu River which prevented them being taken to Lae on Monday.
The four infants were born to a Menyamya woman in Wau town, Morobe.
One baby died on the way between Wau and Bulolo while the other three died near the banks of the Kumalu River as the ambulance driver waited along with other motorists for the torrential flood water to recede.
Bulolo district administrator Tae Guambalek yesterday confirmed the deaths related to the Kumalu flood which started on Jan 1.
It was a tragic incident for the distraught mother and her family who live in Wau.
It is believed there were complications during their birth but Guambalek could not provide more details about the affected mother and her fami­ly.
The administrator confirmed that two young men and a woman cheated death by scrambling onto the banks of the river after they fell into the muddy torrent with rolling boulders beneath.
The trio suffered shock and minor injuries but were otherwise unhurt from the ordeal.
It is believed sick patients and other vulnerable people who are in need of serious medical attention are now at the Bulolo hospital, which has seen its medical supplies dwindle.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has directed the urgent release of K500,000 to repair the damage done to the Lae-Bulolo Highway by the flooded Kumalu.
The highway has been closed for five days since the river burst its banks and flooded the highway, destroying a section of it, and making it impassable.
Traffic has not flowed, and this has affected business and government services in the area, including operations at the two big mines there.

Bulolo MP and deputy opposition leader Sam Basil met with the prime minister yesterday.
Also present was Hidden Valley mines general manager David Wissink.
O’Neill directed that K500,000 be released today for urgent repair work to be carried out.
He further directed that Morobe Mining be in charge of the repair work.
The company is to carry out the repair work with the works department on a cost sharing basis.
“Heavy rain has played havoc in parts of the country, and we all know what Kumalu River can do when it rains up in the mountains,” O’Neill said.
“I met with Bulolo MP Basil today to discuss this situation, and am glad to announce this national government response to an urgent disaster situation.
“I want to assure the people that we will work closely with Mr Basil to overcome this disaster.”