UN scientist helping find out why fish are dying

National

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
NATIONAL Disaster Centre director Martin Mose says that a scientist from the United Nations has completed testing water sources in the earthquake affected Highlands provinces.
Rivers that flow down to Gulf and Western were tested to determine if the death of fish and animals were caused by the earthquake in Hela, Southern Highlands, Enga and Western Highlands. He has given the water samples to the National Agriculture Research Institute for further testing.
Mose said the scientist’s report would be released soon.
“Also, another team from the UN Disaster Assessment Coordination group has returned from the earthquake-affected Highlands provinces,” Kose said.
“They will do their own independent assessment of the people and infrastructures that were affected by the earthquake.
“They will give their report to the national government.”
Daru Police Station commander Inspector Soiwa Ricker said there were reports of dead crocodiles, prawns, fish and other marine life in the Strickland and Fly rivers.
Meanwhile, Sep Galeva, a villager from Lake Murray in Western, said they did not find dead animals or fish in the lake although it was part of the Strickland River system.
“But dead fish are reported further down the river towards Suki and towards the Fly River,” he said.
Galeva said the Strickland River was the biggest tributary of the Fly.