Pictured: Impact of high tide on a village in East Kerema LLG of the Kerema Open Electorate, Gulf Province on Monday. (Supplied Image)
By Mortimer Yangharry
The Moripi and Toaripi areas along the East Kerema LLG coastline have been severely hit by king tides affecting villages and communities along the Gulf of Papua.
First term Kerema Open MP, Thomas Opa advised that he has already raised the alarm for the Gulf Provincial Government to send in an Emergency Team to verify and assess the effects of the king tides on several villages and communities along the coastline.
“I have been made aware of King Tides overnight causing serious problems for my people along the East Kerema LLG coastlines in the Moripi and Toaripi areas. I will liaise with the GPG to send officers to do an assessment,” Opa said.
The local MP, who is also the Vice Minister for Petroleum and Energy mentioned that climate change is real and the devastation is becoming increasingly severe every year.
He called on villages and communities along the Gulf of Papua to move to higher grounds when experiencing heavy rainfall in the area.
