Rainfall

On Saturday, October 7^th, the Busu Bridge collapsed while portions of the Wain-Erap roads had landslips and flooding.

Up at Nabak Highway, parts of the road from Bumburum Bridge were cut off by flooded waters.

Nawaeb MP, Theo Pelgen, immediately sent the Nawaeb district technical team and National Works & Highways engineers to assess the situation.

“This week we intend to gather assessment reports and work towards a plan to mobilise machinery to carry out repair work and upgrade of access roads.”

Nawaeb MP, Theo Pelgen, visited Boac on Thursday, September 28^th, to assess the extent of the damages.

While he had planned to go to Bugang then Boac, Wideru and Busong, strong winds hampered his program.

“We will try our best now to see the extent of damages and from there, create an assessment report to determine how best we can attend to the situation in each area affected,” he stated.

“The people must understand that this is the work of nature. We have no control over it.”

Director of Kumura Foundation, Vincent Kumura, said the foundation, under its community service focus, has partnered with two local SME owners to mobilise 49 youths to clear up the road.

“It took the boys almost two weeks to clear up just a pathway for the vehicle to pass through using chainsaws, digging sticks, crowbars, bush knives and spades,” said Kumura.

“The foundation is very thankful to Nelson Gandai of Yandera and David Mongoma of Simbu for mobilising their boys to work, including the 16 youths of Pomie Village of Upper Bundi.

The heavy rainfall was caused by Cyclone Judy, which passed through the Solomon Islands and PNG from Vanuatu.

The damage to the region's infrastructure has been extensive, with the 12th bridge between PHA and SDA Church collapsing and disrupting traffic along the main Kimbe Town highway.

A community at Four-Mile, ward four, stage two, lost their properties during the February 17^th torrent while over 40 homes were damaged when the storm water diverted from its original course and flowed through people’s homes, polluting drinking water, flooding toilets and displacing families.

Community leader, Pastor Joseph Nianfop, has lived at Four-Mile for 15 years now. He said this is the second time for such an occurrence.

National Weather Service director, Jimmy Gomoga told this newsroom today that while more rainfall is expected in the Southern region while the New Guinea Islands will be dryer than average and Highlands region will experience average rainfall.

 “We are now going towards the peak of our rain season which is in February. This is just the beginning of the season. In April and May 2023, the rainfall will exceed and dry season will commence.”

Gomoga said the National Weather Service has also issued a gale warning for the coastal parts of the Southern Region.

The training and workshop was attended by climate staff of the National Weather Service.

The workshop commenced on Monday and focused on training climate staff on seasonal prediction and drought monitoring and ended today with a stakeholder engagement workshop on Early Rainfall Watch.

The early rainfall watch provides a summary of recent rainfall patterns, particularly the status of drought and enables them to improve seasonal predictions and monitoring.

The National Weather Service (NWS) says the slightly weak La Nina conditions will prevail through February, March and April.

This week though, there is a high possibility of a cyclone forming in the Coral Sea that might see very strong winds experienced in the Southern Region.

Currently there is a tropical depression located in the Coral Sea but it will move further southeast and may develop into a tropical cyclone.

The Central Provincial Administration, through the provincial disaster office, has urged villagers along the coastal areas and rivers, stream beds, drainage ditches and culverts to take extra precaution.

The National Weather Service says Category One Tropical Cyclone Fehi developed following a tropical depression which had developed in the eastern Solomon Sea and moved further south into the South Eastern Coral Sea.

The National Weather Service has released a report affirming that TC Fehi will move further south and dissipate or dissolve near New Zealand.

Weather outlook for the week will see moderate rainfall continue throughout the country whilst some parts of the Highlands and Southern regions will continue to receive more rainfall.