By Lionel Taorao
Freelance Journalist
The Makira Ulawa Provincial Disaster Operation Committee from Kira Kira has successfully completed an assessment on Ulawa Island visiting communities affected by the recent heavy rain which also caused severe flooding in various areas around the island.
The team which consists of representatives from the Police, Red Cross, Agriculture and the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) arrived by boat on Thursday from Kira Kira in spite of the bad weather.
Mr Eddie Quiroquiro from the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) says that the team have completed visiting flood-affected areas as well as other communities and is working on their report.
“Our team as soon as we arrived went out to visit the communities that have been flooded after the heavy rainfall a few weeks ago”, Mr Quiroquiro confirmed.
He said that from the assessment carried out, the team finds that many food gardens are now rotting and even fruit trees are dying.
“Potatoes, cassava, Pana, the commonly planted root crops that people planted are now rotting and people are now starting to experience food scarcity because their gardens, their main source of food where their families rely very much on is now gone”, Mr Quiroquiro says.
He also adds that no infrastructure was reported damaged except one culvert which was badly damaged by the flooding.
Mr. Quiroquiro confirmed that the team has carried out an assessment around the island and it is evident that not only the flooded areas were affected by the recent heavy rainfall but all of Ulawa have been affected by the recent heavy rain which affects their root crops.
He further adds that as soon as they have completed compiling their reports, they will then send them to relevant authorities for consideration.
