OVER a thousand food gardens in Malaita were reportedly destroyed by floods caused by last week’s heavy downpour.
Namoia School Chairman Enoch Idui said Kwaibaita River in East Malaita bursted its banks and swept all gardens.
Kwaibaita River separates East Kwara’ae and East Kwaio Constituencies.
Mr Idui said damages caused by the River were just but a few of the many others the heavy downpour caused to some inland villages.
The Kwaibaita River basin in the Eastern Region of Malaita Province is known for its fertile soil and the good crop harvests it normally yields.
“The villagers had to resort to using canoes to extract what they can gather from their food gardens.
“Mass harvesting of food gardens took place immediately after the floods to avoid leaving the crops to rot.
“What was harvested is expected to sustain the communities for up to one week only.
“Water supply systems for some villages were also disrupted.
“Our major concern now is on a possible diseases outbreak,” Mr Idui said.
As such, he said communities along the Kwaibaita River basin are now calling on responsible authorities, especially the National Disaster Council to immediately assess the situation.
“Also we are calling on the MP for East Kwaio Stanley Sofu and the MP for East Kwara’ae Manasseh Maelanga to immediately assist the villages while waiting for any response from the government’s agency NDC.”
There were also reports of some damages in the Northern region of Malaita.
By William Ekotani
In Auki
