Floodwaters cut off Alotau as Haumo Bridge faces collapse

Heavy downpour on Saturday evening saw access bridges and roads into Alotau Town severed; authorities have their work cut out for them to rectify this situation.

More pressing though was the Haumo Bridge at Gravel Pit just outside Alotau Town, a strategic bridge connecting town to Gurney Airport.

It’s an emergency as fears another downpour could see the Haumo Bridge completely washed away.
The bridge has been a sore point for Alotau Town every wet season, cutting off access to Gurney Airport until the temporary Bailey bridge was installed in 2018.

8 years later, the temporary fix had held on and now the public is demanding a permanent one be installed.

John Ilumpui a taxi driver.

Hawkers took advantage of the situation selling their ware, so did PMV operators on both sides of the bridge into town.

Japhat Wariupa and junior Simon talking there.

Local authorities were at the scene, acting Provincial Administrator Sharon Mua and personnel from the Provincial Dept of Works and Highways and the Provincial Works Unit, rallied support from local business houses and their heavy machinery to create a temporary bypass to restore access and conduct some repairs to the damaged section of the bridge.

The bigger plan will be for a report and a recommendation for a permanent bridge structure to the province's political heads, more pressing to link Alotau’s new K76 million Gurney Airport development to the town and the oil palm areas that greatly influence Milne Bay’s economy.

Flights into Gurney were cancelled, travelers turned back at the bridge, notably the British High Commissioner to PNG on relief assistance run to the province for Cyclone Maila, and a few personnel from the Australian Defense Force in Alotau for yesterday’s Anzac Day celebrations.