Bougainville under drought alert

Bougainville remains under drought-alert status, with the impacts of the current El Niño weather pattern already being felt across the region and several communities in North Bougainville reaching emergency thresholds.

Director of the Bougainville Disaster and Emergency Directorate, Julius Nohu, says monitoring data collected from communities shows worsening conditions in the north, where shortages of water and food are becoming increasingly severe.

Nohu says while some parts of Bougainville have recently received rain, the region remains under the influence of El Niño, which can bring a mix of extreme weather conditions including drought, heavy rainfall and cyclones.

He says assessments indicate that eight out of ten communities surveyed have already reached critical drought thresholds, with around 70 percent of assessed areas showing signs of agricultural stress.

The impacts are now spreading beyond agriculture and affecting water, sanitation and public health.

Nohu says health facilities in North Bougainville are reporting cases of diarrhoea, respiratory illnesses and other water-borne diseases, although no drought-related deaths have been reported so far.

The Directorate's immediate focus is on North Bougainville, where rapid assessments are underway across all Community Government areas.

Particular concern remains for Pinapel Island and the Atolls, where remoteness and limited access to services has seen the situation already deteriorating.

Nohu says emergency support is urgently needed, including water supplies for schools and health facilities, relief assistance for affected islands, and the pre-positioning of food and non-food items for vulnerable communities.

However, he says the Directorate is struggling to move beyond assessments because of funding and resource constraints.

Julius Nohu says the Bougainville Executive Council has already approved an El Niño Preparedness and Response Plan that runs through to 2027, together with an allocated budget, but implementation requires immediate financing and support from all sectors of government, development partners and the National Government.

He acknowledged the North Bougainville District Development Authority for funding assessment work across the district and is calling on other district administrations to also support response efforts.

The Directorate has already activated a multi-sector operational coordination group involving government agencies and development partners, while an Emergency Operations Centre has also been established to focus solely on El Niño operations.

Nohu warned that forecasts indicate El Niño conditions are expected to peak in November and December, making the coming weeks critical.

He says more support is needed now to rehabilitate damaged water systems, drill boreholes, refill tanks at schools and health facilities, support farmers and position emergency supplies before conditions worsen.

Nohu is also urging communities not to panic but to prepare early and responsibly.

He encouraged people to listen to radio awareness messages, keep drinking water sources clean, protect water tanks and storage containers from contamination, and pay special attention to children, the elderly and other vulnerable people.

For farmers, he says drought-tolerant crops that remain in gardens should be protected and preserved, while families should consider food storage and preservation methods to strengthen household food security.

He also warned that regional drought conditions in parts of Asia could affect rice supply chains and lead to increases in store goods prices, encouraging families to prepare ahead where possible.

Nohu says schools should continue operating safely under guidance issued by the Education Department, including reduced school hours and minimum hygiene standards.

He further warned seafarers to take extra precautions during the current weather conditions after several recent maritime incidents across the region, including vessels that drifted for weeks before rescue and another boat that remains missing.

Nohu says bad weather conditions have also disrupted maritime transport links to the Atolls, leaving some island communities unable to reach Buka, raising concerns that trade store food supplies may be running low.

He reiterated a call by Community Government Minister Milton Tukana for development partners, government agencies and communities to work together to protect those most at risk, particularly families with many children, the elderly and remote island populations.

Julius Nohu says Bougainville remains under drought-alert status, with the next assessment from the National Weather Service expected next month to determine whether the region remains on alert or progresses to emergency status.