Dead sea creatures causing awful smell in Namatanai

​Unusual deep sea creatures and fish and other marine creatures are dying in Namatanai, New Ireland Province, from a cause the local people are yet to find out.

Naomi Watong, a local woman from Konos village in the Central New Ireland district of Namatanai told Loop PNG that the sea creatures have been dying since Saturday April 9, 2016 at around 12 midday  until  now (April 13).

She said the villagers found out about the dead fishes when alerted by children who went out for a swim on that day.

“We went and got the fish and other creatures like octopus and shells but the sea was very hot. The dead sea creatures were also very hot,” she told Loop PNG via mobile phone.

She said the fish and other creatures continue to die the next day (Sunday) which has made the people very suspicious.

Watong said currently, their sea is covered with and awful smell from the dead fish and other creatures.

She said villages affected include Komalabu, Konos and Karuselatkonogogo.

Watong said she has alerted the Disaster office in Kavieng and are still awaiting their officers to check the situation.

Meanwhile she said the people are blaming the Solwara 1 project in the province for the cause of the dead sea creatures but that is yet to confirmed.

She said at that time of incident, two big vessels were out on the ocean at the Solwara 1 project site which might be the cause of the problem.

The villages were facing right towards the solwara 1 project.

 

Pictures by Naomi Watong

Author: 
Freddy Mou