heavy rains

PX 082 was cancelled this morning around 10 am after receiving information from Honiara that passengers and airport handling staff were unable to reach the airport at Honiara’s Henderson International Airport.

The flight has been rescheduled for a 10 am departure on Wednesday with the return flight to be deferred by 24 hours to Thursday.

Air Niugini says it regrets the inconvenience caused and stresses the situation is outside the airline’s control and the safety of customers and staff is always a first priority.

Picture credit: Al Jazeera

Reports coming in to the disaster office in Buka have stated that the northern tip in the Haku Constituency, the Atolls and now the latest is Tinputz, have been affected.

The mountain communities in the Tinputz district are the worst hit, especially in Melelup and Pokapa.

Village assembly chairman for Pokapa Paul Panu told Loop PNG their school has now closed down and students have been sent home.

Much of the country has been hit by flooding and landslides over the last few weeks. 

The government's Relief and Resettlement Department estimates that 110,000 people have been severely affected by the floods, particularly in the Sagaing region and Kachin and Shan states, accounting for 21 deaths in July.

On Saturday, local officials reported nine more deaths, most of them from a boat that capsized in Kachin. They said seven townships had been devastated by flooding.