Western floods worrisome

People at Obo Station living in dugout canoes since floodwaters have destroyed their homes. Inset: People along the affected areas of Lake Murray are experiencing skin diseases after two months of heavy rain and flood.

By ANTOINETTE POIVI
FIVE persons are dead, schools shut down, more than 7,000 homes destroyed and people are developing skin diseases after severe floods hit Western last week.
Komovai village leader Marcus Kapi said the floods were due to heavy rain in the last two months.
“Some of our stores, schools, gardens, crocodile farms and our homes are under floodwaters.
“Affected areas are Obo, Kaviananga, Komovai, Aiambak, Bosset and other villages along Lake Murray,” he said.
Kopi said it was not safe to go to the water as crocodiles had escaped from farm enclosures.
“People are developing skin diseases like scabies when they wash in the river,” he said.
Kopi added that other waterborne diseases like diarrhoea, malaria, stomach ache, fever and respiratory diseases had also affected the people.
“Flooding has also affected cemeteries and pit toilets and its unhygienic,” he said.
He said people who lived and made gardens at the mainland were okay.
A local from Lake Murray, George Neiman said he had written a letter to the provincial government, requesting the declaration of a state of emergency in the area due to the severe flooding.
“The extent of the flooding has overwhelmed our local resources and response capabilities and we are in dire need of additional assistance to manage this natural disaster,” Neiman said.
Some of the points he highlighted were extensive property damage, threat to public safety, infrastructure damage and economic impact.
Neiman urged people to collaborate with the relevant authorities, including emergency management agencies, local government bodies, and community organisations, to develop and implement an emergency response plan tailored to their specific needs.