Through mud and flood – the road to site

April 12, 2010

When the only route to site is across a flooded river…

During the days of heavy rains at the end of January the road from Madang to Ramu literally washed away. Literally chasing the rains and the rising rivers, the NCS Raibus team needed to get urgent supplies up to the Butua Site as it had been isolated, cut off by the Ramu river which had broken its banks in many places a week before.

When the road to Ramu washed away, NCS found ways around getting across

In the true sense of ‘Meeting the Challenge – Every Day’, Project Manager Rob Bennetts said “ We had been getting supplies through by transferring to dugout canoes then heading down stream & loading on to another vehicle. We did not get a photo of NCS staff loading canoes as the river was rising again and we did not want to be stuck on the other side of the river”

“At one point we did decide to cross the river and next time – if  it keeps raining like this – we might consider taking our boat The Warria. You can imagine how difficult this was” he added

Meeting the Challenge: through the MUD

A typical example of how NCS go the extra mile to Meeting the Challenge – Every Day is the regular occurrence of roads being washed away in PNG’s monsoonal rains.

In early January Brian Curran and Corey Polume travelled from Lae to Wau to meet with Lydia Waengo from Wau Fresh Produce and approximately 30 Buang growers to discuss ongoing business of supply to NCS projects.

On the way they were delayed by at least five landslides on the Wau Road and a taxi truck that had also become stuck fast in mud, blocking road access both ways.

Brian (in the driver’s seat) and Corey (knee deep in mud) tried to pull the truck back with the winch on the NCS 4WD, but had no luck moving it. After 90 minutes of trying, an MMJV ‘Troopie’ was able to pull the truck forward and out ably assisted by a group of locals pushing the vehicle.

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