Two months of continuous rainfall has caused six major landslides that completely blocked off the road from Simbu to Bundi, in Madang Province.
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.
“Even though access is now created, the continuous rainfall meant more proper work needs to be done.
“Last Friday, the Upper Bundi Ambulance got stuck at Mondia Pass at the Bundi side near Mondia Pass coming up to Simbu. It took 3 hours for a team of 16 boys from Pomie to dig, pull and push through the huge piles of debris to get the vehicle over to Simbu.
“Fortunately, we never had any emergency patients on board. It could have been disastrous for them.”
Furthermore, Kumura said the 31km road from Simbu to Snow Pass and Yandera is in very bad state and needs urgent government assistance for road maintenance.
“We have three primary schools of Bundi, Yandera and Snow Pass, the Snow Pass Eco-lodge, the Snow Pass Medical Dispensary, Kumura Foundation, proposed Yandera Mining, SMEs, coffee and vanilla farmers and the 20,000 people of Bundi, including sick patients affected from these bad road conditions,” said Kumura.
“Furthermore, the 2023 ‘Bundi Komba Festival’ will be held from April 17-19.
“Therefore, the foundation is calling for respective government authorities to respond quickly in clearing up the landslides and maintain the road link to Bundi.
“The foundation stands ready to work with local and provincial government authorities in servicing our people of remote Bundi.”