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Flood victims along Minj River get help from IOM

By TONY PALME

MORE than 2000 people living along the Minj River in Jiwaka received assistance from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Saturday.

The IOM distributed drinking containers to 500 households to address water issues in the area. This followed a joint assessment by the Jiwaka disaster coordinator John Kupul and IOM field officer Thomas Mek after flooding from the headwaters of the river to the Waghi River on Jan 2.

“The recent wet weather around the country is causing havoc in Jiwaka, with the worst being the Minj River floods,” Kupul said.

“Fortunately no lives have been lost, but countless food gardens planted on the fertile river banks, trees and houses were swept away.

“IOM has addressed water needs but the most desperate assistance the people require now is food, beddings and cooking utensils as most of these items were swept away.

“On behalf of the Jiwaka government, I wish to thank the IOM for its continuous humanitarian support to disaster victims in the province since 2015.”

On Jan 2, a massive landslide at the headwaters of the river blocked the river, forcing it to create a dam which eventually burst, sending down a huge debris.