Starvation looms 3,000 hailstorm villagers in Hagen Central
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Starvation looms 3,000 hailstorm villagers in Hagen Central
PORT MORESBY: While the Government is considering deploying 1,000 soldiers to Australia to help fight its months-long of wild bush and forest fires, about 3,000 Hagen Central villagers hit by a 45-minute Christmas afternoon hailstorm are facing starvation,
All their crops and livestock have been destroyed by the pelting of ice the size of marbles.
Large tracts of land in Trika-Memeka, Jiga Muguka andf Kumuga-Paga are brown, dry and barren.
After 12 days, there is still no response or relief from the National Disaster And Emergency offices, the provincial and national governments to help the farmers and villages to rebuild their lives.
PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces another follow-up news report on the plight of the villagers as published by The National:
Villagers facing hunger
STARVATION is looming in Hagen Central where about 3,000 villagers were hit by a 45-minute hailstorm on Christmas afternoon.
The hailstorm destroyed all their gardens, farms and livestock turning Trika-Memeka, Jiga Muguka and Kumuga-Paga into brown and barren tracts of land.
All vegetables and crops, including tubers, have all dried or decayed – ruined by hailstorm ice the size of marbles.
Yet, 12 days after the natural weather disaster, no help is in sight for the villagers.
The Government, politicians and community leaders, and the National Emergency and Disaster Centre have all maintained a deafening silence on the plight of the 3,000 villagers.
Former Evangelical Lutheran church assistant bishop Zau Rapa, from the Trula-Memeka tribe, said their staple food sweet potato (kaukau) had all decayed due to the melted ice.
“Whatever good tubers dug from our gardens after the hailstorm are finished, whatever in the ground is not fit for human consumption.”
Rapa said their livestock like pigs were forced to eat sweet potatoes (kaukau) infected with diseases.
“Human beings as well as pigs, we all depend on kaukau for our survival,” he said.
The hailstorm destroyed all their gardens, farms and livestock turning Trika-Memeka, Jiga Muguka and Kumuga-Paga into brown and barren tracts of land.
All vegetables and crops, including tubers, have all dried or decayed – ruined by hailstorm ice the size of marbles.
Yet, 12 days after the natural weather disaster, no help is in sight for the villagers.
The Government, politicians and community leaders, and the National Emergency and Disaster Centre have all maintained a deafening silence on the plight of the 3,000 villagers.
Former Evangelical Lutheran church assistant bishop Zau Rapa, from the Trula-Memeka tribe, said their staple food sweet potato (kaukau) had all decayed due to the melted ice.
“Whatever good tubers dug from our gardens after the hailstorm are finished, whatever in the ground is not fit for human consumption.”
Rapa said their livestock like pigs were forced to eat sweet potatoes (kaukau) infected with diseases.
“Human beings as well as pigs, we all depend on kaukau for our survival,” he said.
“We are staring in the face of starvation, the lives of men, women and children are at risk.”
Rapa said that his Kunjika Village with the total population of about 1,500 people were badly affected and were now struggling and striving for survival.
“Hunger is now a big problem in my village now. No vegetables, no sweet potato (kaukau), we survive on what we can find or salvage,” he added.
Rapa said that since the disaster struck, no help was forthcoming from the provincial or national disaster and emergency offices and centres.
“Last Thursday, Robin Yakumb, the provincial disaster coordinator came to inspect and assess the damage by the hailstorm,” he said.
“There is no more vegetation, the land is barren brown like it has been sprayed weed poison.
“We desperately need relieve supplies, new kaukau veins and fertilisers to quickly grow vegetables to rebuild our lives.
“It will take about six months to fully recover from the aftermath of this disaster.”
Yakumb told The National that the villagers were in dire need of urgent assistance.
Rapa said that his Kunjika Village with the total population of about 1,500 people were badly affected and were now struggling and striving for survival.
“Hunger is now a big problem in my village now. No vegetables, no sweet potato (kaukau), we survive on what we can find or salvage,” he added.
Rapa said that since the disaster struck, no help was forthcoming from the provincial or national disaster and emergency offices and centres.
“Last Thursday, Robin Yakumb, the provincial disaster coordinator came to inspect and assess the damage by the hailstorm,” he said.
“There is no more vegetation, the land is barren brown like it has been sprayed weed poison.
“We desperately need relieve supplies, new kaukau veins and fertilisers to quickly grow vegetables to rebuild our lives.
“It will take about six months to fully recover from the aftermath of this disaster.”
Yakumb told The National that the villagers were in dire need of urgent assistance.
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