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Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Storm wreaks havoc

By PISAI GUMAR

 

NEARLY 500 people have been left homeless in the Huon Gulf district of Morobe after a freak thunderstorm on Monday night flattened their homes, The National reports.

Villagers of Maiama on the coast of the Morobe patrol post lost 32 homes and the remainder of their food gardens in the strong winds and heavy rains.

Women, children and the elderly were pleading for help from relatives in Lae for food supplies and medication.

Fears of flooding and landslides had also been raised for villages along the coast to the border of Northern and in the hinterlands.

It is the second disaster to have affected the village in a week after last Wednesday’s 2m-high flooding of the Masira River that swept away 25 homes and lowland gardens, Morobe patrol post sub-district manager Essing Ulam said last night.

He said last week’s devastation left more than 100 people homeless and Monday night’s had worsened the situation with more than 300 people without either food or shelter.

He said a southeasterly wind lashed the village at 1am on Monday.

Cash crops of vanilla vines and cocoa trees and food gardens were all destroyed.

Ulam said the phenomenon was described by villagers as “some strange wind”.

Ulam and his Department of Agriculture and Livestock officer have compiled a latest report to the Morobe provincial disaster and emergency office for assistence.

They had been visited at the weekend by Huon Gulf district administrator Tony Ase.

Ase said last night that he had requested relief supplies from the disaster office.

In the meantime, the people are scouring their gardens for food.

 

 

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