Two bodies of landslide victims recovered

The National National

By ZACHERY PER
THE bodies of the final two victims of a landslide in Gembogl, Chimbu, were recovered on Monday.
The two boys, Anton Grai, 7, and Bolo Kawagle 10, were among 10 people who were killed after a landslide at Gowe village, Kegesuglo, at the foot of Mt Wilhelm on Good Friday.
Kegesuglo villager Vincent Don confirmed that the bodies of two elementary students were recovered, bringing the death toll to 10 – most of whom were related.
Grai was killed along with his sister Katia Grai and their father Pius Grai, who was a senior teacher at Mt Wilhelm Secondary School.
Don said young Grai’s mother and two older brothers managed to seek refuge on higher ground when warnings were sounded on Good Friday night, however Grai, his father and sister were caught as the mud and debris from the landslide came through Gowe village.
Don said Kawagle was killed along with his grandmother Paru Kawagle.
Among the dead were Mt Wilhelm Secondary School chief cook Joe Geregl, his wife Cathy Geregl and sons Aloysius and Max Joseph.
Don said Geregl had been a long-serving staff of the school, having served for 37 years.
“Despite his disability (an amputated leg) Joe was a very committed person who served Mt Wilhelm Secondary School,” Don said.
He said teacher Pius Grai had served the province’s education division for over 30 years with most of those years at Mt Wilhelm Secondary School teaching social science, personal development and business studies.
The Grais and Geregls resided at Gowe village at the bottom of Kegesuglo because of a shortage of staff housing at the school.
Don said Fritory Fred, a grade five student at Denglagu Catholic Primary School, was the other person who died.
Don thanked Kundiawa-Gembogl MP William Onglo and Chimbu Governor Michael Dua for their immediate response in providing relief supplies such as food rations, clothes, blankets, mattresses and coffins. He also thanked a delegation from the Simbu administration lead by deputy provincial administrator Essy Walkaima for visiting them.