Two die in New Britain floods

By ABIGAIL APINA
TWO people have died as a result of the recent floods in East New Britain.
The deaths were confirmed to be from inland Baining, Gazelle district.
Toma-Vunadidir local level government manager Henry Ningo said both deaths occurred at Tavaluai.
He said the district disaster committee was attending to the people affected by the floods.
He also warned people to stay away from the major rivers as heavy rain continued.
The provincial disaster office had confirmed that all major rivers in the Gazelle district from Kerevat River to Wara Pukpuk had flooded.
A report from the disaster office said such a flooding had not been experienced in the past 40 years in the inland Baining and Lassul Baining areas.
It said all bridges needed to be inspected by engineers to ensure they were still safe to use.
The report confirmed the Tavaluai Bridge’s northern approach was damaged with landslips reported on the Malasaet and Lassul roads.
Agriculture and health officers had been dispatched to the affected areas to assess the situation.
The report said water was a major concern as many people collected it from creeks and streams for cooking and drinking.
All institutions in the district are now being inspected to determine the effect of the flood on buildings, staff and students.
Meanwhile, 42 houses at the Sikut Matupit settlement, in Rabaul district, were swept away by flood waters last Saturday morning.
A report confirmed that more than 160 people had been affected, especially those who lived close to the Warongoi River.
Classes at primary schools in the Sikut Matupit area had been suspended.