Weatherman: Next three months ‘bad’

By JEFFREY ELAPA
BAD weather will continue to affect the country for the next three months, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The centre also forecast that tropical cyclones may affect the country during this La Nina period.
The NWS earlier described La Nina as a period of strong wind and rain associated with atmospheric conditions and movement of ocean currents.
Jimmy Gomoga, the assistant director of NWS, said in a phone interview many people did not take precautions and heed warnings which often resulted in disasters which should have been avoided.
The centre has been monitoring the weather and issues warnings to the public through the media two to three days early but he said people continued to disobey the warnings.
He said the recent disaster involving the mv Rabaul Queen could have been avoided if the warning issued three days earlier had been followed.
“People must understand
and use their common
sense,’’ he said.
“When warnings are issued, anchor the ship where it is safe or avoid going out to sea at all.
“In order to avoid casualties and disasters, it is important to obey the warnings we issue.”
Gomoga warned those living along the coastal areas to be alert because of the possibility of tropical cyclones during this period.
“We have months of tropical cyclone within the next three months. Heavy downpour and strong winds are expected.’’
He said the wet weather would last until June when the dry season normally set in.
Meanwhile, the recent heavy rain and wind have wreaked havoc on coastal and inland villages in Central, a villager said.
Venina Kada, from Kakorogoro village in inland Rigo, said four large villages with a population of around 500 people were adversely affected by the bad weather.
Kada said people in Kakorogoro, Geveragoro, Debadogoro and Seba had lost homes and food gardens. 
“Five homes have been destroyed by strong winds while 24 other buildings, including a classroom and a church, had their roofs blown away,” he said.
Kada said people who had their structures destroyed were staying with relatives or neighbours as the rains and winds continued.
He said gardens were affected and staple crops such as bananas, cassava and yams were uprooted.
He said their drinking water was polluted by heavy mud deposits as a result of continuous rain.