Flood Ravaged PNG declares state of emergency
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Flood Ravaged PNG declares state of emergency*
By Lloyd Jones in Port Moresby
November 19, 2007 03:39pm
Article from: AAP
A STATE of emergency has been declared in Papua New Guinea's
flood-ravaged Oro Province following widespread destruction and reports
that more than 70 people were swept to their deaths.
PNG's cabinet today declared the state of emergency and approved the use
of the PNG Defence Force for relief operations and the release of up to
50 million kina ($20 million) to assist flood victims.
Prime Minister Michael Somare said he was saddened by the enormity of
the disaster. He said the damage would take some time to fix.
Oro province faces a huge repair bill after hundreds of houses and
dozens of key bridges and roads were washed away during last week's
heavy rains associated with tropical cyclone Guba in the Coral Sea.
The death toll was still unclear today with varying reports from
government disaster officials and PNG's media.
Officials late yesterday put the confirmed death toll at 17 with many
more reported missing after flood waters devastated villages along the
coast and in the mountainous interior.
The Post-Courier and The National newspapers reported more than 70 dead
and more than 50 missing but National Radio put the death toll at 40
this morning.
The toll would become clearer as flood waters receded and police and
disaster officials reached remote communities by helicopter today to
assess the impact, officials said.
Health officials warned of outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as
cholera, dysentery and malaria due to a lack of clean drinking water and
proper sanitation in cut-off communities.
Hundreds of houses and food gardens were washed away, the provincial
airport and main wharf were closed after being cut off and the main
water supply to the provincial capital Popondetta was shut down.
Police spokesman David Terry, speaking from Popondetta, said a massive
relief operation was needed because of the scale of the disaster across
the entire province.
"The biggest fear now is the aftermath. If there's no assistance the
people will succumb to starvation and sickness through waterborne diseases."
Reports came in of people washed away in surging floodwaters, dead
bodies being retrieved, houses toppling into swollen rivers and coffins
washed from riverside graves.
At Numba village, a family of 11 was reportedly washed away in their house.
Provincial Governor Suckling Tamanabae appealed to the national
Government and international donors for help, saying thousands of
villagers could die from disease and starvation if relief supplies did
not reach them quickly.
Foreign missions and international aid agencies including AusAID were
monitoring the situation and standing by to assist.
No requests for assistance had been received by late today but PNG's
Works Minister Don Polye said the Australian Defence Force may be asked
to help with airlifting relief supplies.
Provincial engineers put the cost of rebuilding bridges, roads and
wharves at more than two billion kina.
The Red Cross today had a shipment of tarpaulins and water containers
ready to transport to Oro.