By Julie Badui Owa, EMTV Lae
Six families living at the National Department of Agriculture’s Erap station in Morobe were forced to leave their homes after the nearby Erap river flooded its banks overnight.
Staff reported that livestock and other property were also swept away by the floods. The Erap station is part of government infrastructure used for food security programs, livestock rearing and aquaculture. The flooding has affected the stations operations over the last six years.
The situation worsened last year, forcing the occupants to vacate the houses.
The station’s technical officer Richard Ngahan, said the station has been neglected for more than a decade and staff have left for other locations.
Both water and power supply have been disconnected.
The Food Security branch has four major programs; Livestock, rice development , horticulture, and aquaculture.
Currently there are only three serving officers. Most have left. The officers have sought help from the DAL headquarters in Port Moresby but they haven’t received any positive response. They are also calling on the authorities to quickly assist in blocking the flow of Erap River into the area.
