18 Oct 2010

Drought report due in PNG's Morobe province

2:37 pm on 18 October 2010

Officials in Papua New Guinea's Morobe Province are expected to report back this week on the effects of a drought in the Menyamya District.

The drought has been affecting villages since March and seven people have reportedly starved to death, while most rivers and streams have dried up.

The District Administrator for Menyamya, Bob Biglam, says a team has been assessing the situation to work out a plan to counter the effects of the drought.

"The assessment's based on the garden situation, water, source of our water. And we've got our own officers from the rural areas. We've assigned them to do agriculture and livestock. And teachers in the schools, they're also assisting us to submit reports."

Bob Biglam says the district has experience small intervals of rainfall but not enough to make a difference.