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Papua New Guinea: Drought - Sep 1997

Status
Past
Countries
PNG
Disaster types
Drought

Because of severe weather conditions resulting from EL Nino, major parts of Papua New Guinea have received little or no rain since February/March this year. This has resulted in a severe drought throughout the country. Coupled with this, eight of the affected provinces have not yet recovered from the impact of Cyclone Justin in the first weeks of March which had already caused extensive damage. Professional judgements indicate that the drought will continue at least until December 1997 or January 1998. In addition repeated frosts in the high altitude areas of the Enga, Southern Highlands and Western Highlands Provinces have made these communities the most affected at the present moment. [...] The communities of the upper Fly river, especially in the areas around Kiunga, are also in distress. The drought has closed off the supply line for the population, which is barge transport up the Fly River. [...] Atoll and small island communities in several provinces are also reported to be in need of immediate assistance. Shortage of water and food in these communities is being compounded by increased health problems. [...] The Government of Papua New Guinea has estimated that up to 700,000 of its 4.3 million population may be affected by the drought and frost. According to information received from the provinces, a total of 60 people may have died as a result of the drought. (UN DHA, 23 Sep 1997)

As a result of the El Nino effect, the drought situation in Papua New Guinea has worsened to the point where, according to a report prepared by a joint Government/AusAid assessment team, more than 500,000 people are seriously affected (out of a national population of 4.5 million). The highland provinces are among the worst affected, with virtually no rain for more than three months. [...] The National Relief Coordinator informed the media that about 90,000 people live in the most severely affected areas where they have no food, water or income. Half of those people are living in areas where there is no road access. The extent to which the rest of the population will be affected depends largely on the extent and duration of the next rainy season (which normally starts in late November). Staple food crops in Papua New Guinea have been wiped out in many areas; water is in short supply and the price of processed food has doubled. (UN DHA, 23 Oct 1997)

According to the findings of the assessment team, which was in the affected areas from 25 September to 11 October 1997, around 77,000 people are presently in a critical life threatening situation with no food other than "famine" food and bush food available, and a further 100,000 will have reached the same situation by the end of October. A further 250,000 people are eating only very small amounts of rapidly diminishing food from their gardens, supplemented with "famine" food and bush food. Within a month, many of them will be in the same situation as the 177,000 who will have effectively nothing to eat. [...] At least 100,000 people are experiencing critical problems with drinking water. Some of these people live in areas already critically affected by food shortages but most are in places where food supply is adequate to support life, if on a much reduced basis. The problems include an almost complete lack of drinking water, with access only to brackish water or water which is contaminated with faecal wastes. Water for washing is much reduced. (UN DHA, 29 Oct 1997)

The current food situation in the Highlands and in the islands, where water supply is more of a problem than lack of food, is either as predicted in the Government/AusAID Assessment Report or worse. In the worst affected areas, all garden food has gone and remaining forest food is already much reduced by extensive burning of the bush. Approximately 80 per cent of the total population of PNG are now forced to use unfamiliar water sources and are reliant on the larger (and also more polluted) rivers. Overall, up to 500,000 people in the Highlands now have very little to live on, and the effects of the emergency are beginning to become apparent, with the incidence of eye infections, skin diseases and diarrhoea rising, and strong anecdotal evidence of recent deaths of individuals who would not normally be considered vulnerable. (UN DHA, 28 Nov 1997)