Emergency shelters provide relief for communities affected by flooding in Busu, Morobe

Many communities along the banks of the Busu River rely on it for water for drinking, bathing, and cleaning. However, living along the river also puts these homes at risk. Heavy flooding can devastate these communities and as the rainy season has become more severe, the banks of the Busu River have been increasingly washed away. 

The International Organization for Migration has assisted families in Morobe with shelter kits to help rebuild their homes following floods.  

Mona Sirap has lived near the Busu River for 50 years. In the most recent floods, his home was washed away.  

“I’ve been living here since 1972,” he said. “In the time I’ve been living here, we haven’t experienced floods like this. The river was far away from us. But over time it’s come closer.” 

A short distance away, Jonathon shares how his family was also once a far distance from the river.  

“Before, we were some 800 metres away from the river,” he says. “In the past five years it has come in, little by little. Now, we are just ten metres away from the riverbank. Everytime the rainy season starts, we have so many sleepless nights. We stay awake and watch the river. If the disaster strikes, we are prepared to evacuate.”  

Following recent flooding along the Busu River, IOM, with support from USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, provided locals like Mona and his family with shelter kits and household essentials to help them rebuild.  

"We face many struggles following the floods,” said Racheal, a young woman whose family was supported with following the floods. “We are thankful to IOM and USAID for supplying us with the kits. They included household materials including a hammer, saw, and nails. They provided gardening tools and kits with blankets, floor mats, and utensils.” 

These kits provide shelter and basic household equipment in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. However, ensuring communities at risk are aware of how to best prepare for emergencies remains a priority. “We have to advise everyone along the riverside that we have to be prepared in advance,” said Racheal.  

IOM continues to support communities at risk from natural hazard-induced disasters around Papua New Guinea to prepare. In close coordination with provincial authorities, the organization works to reduce the risks of disasters and ensure emergency supplies are ready to be deployed when and where they are needed.