El Nino crisis: Water and food shortage hits Dom Kagul in SSY

Communities in the mountain villages of Dom Kagul, Kamtai District in Sinasina-Yongomugl are facing severe water shortage and famine as the El Nino dry spell continues to worsen.

A local community leader, Dom David Kua from Dom Kagul village, said after a prolonged dry season, villages that once had abundant food and coffee along the Wahgi River are now struggling to survive.

He said villages on both sides of the Wahgi River bordering Gumine and Sinasina-Yongomugl Districts including Konoma, Dom Kagul, Gunangi and towards Ubanidiawa are experiencing the same situation.

"On the mountaintops, all our water holes and creeks have dried up. Even the Wahgi River is drying up. We have no water to drink and our people are starving," Kua said.

Kua added that a number of people are now suffering from diarrhea and influenza due to prolonged lack of clean drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene.

He is now appealing to the Member for Sinasina-Yongomugl, Hon. Kerenga Kua and the District Development Authority to assist immediately.

Kua noted that the Marape-Rosso National Government had allocated K300 million nationwide for El Nino relief in the recent Supplementary Budget, and said the people of SSY are waiting urgently for relief assistance.

Efforts to get comments from the SSY DDA and Provincial Disaster Office are continuing.