‘On another scale’ – PNG province unprepared for El Niño impacts, warns governor

The governor of Papua New Guinea’s Western Highlands Province says his province is unprepared to deal with the severe impacts of the El Niño weather event being experienced across the country.

During an El Niño event, warmer ocean waters affect rainfall and wind patterns, often bringing drier-than-usual conditions and a higher risk of drought to the western Pacific.

Western Highlands Governor Wai Rapa is warning that the PNG government does not have the finances or the resources to manage the situation.

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Rapa told the PNG Post-Courier there had been no communication from the national government.

He said the current dry season was “on another scale” and compared to previous dry seasons.

Rapa told the newspaper that the river from which the province’s capital city got its water supply had also dried up.

“We haven’t got the resource to put up with the dry season,” Rapa was quoted as saying by the Post-Courier.

“We Highlanders look after animals especially pigs and this dry season will greatly affect our animals. When we go deep into the dry season, we will face a lot of challenges,” he added.

The concerns raised by Rapa come despite the national government saying preparations for the dry season are underway.

In late-June, PNG Prime Minister James Marape instructed all provinces and districts to prepare for the possibility of a severe dry season linked to El Niño.

A statement from Marape’s office on June 22 said: “The Prime Minister said Cabinet was examining appropriate Financial and Administrative arrangements to support Provincial and District Governments to prepare for, mitigate and respond to Disaster situations arising from prolonged dry conditions.”

Marape also urged Papua New Guineans to remain calm, saying: “This is a time for preparedness, not panic.”