Three children die as blizzard hits Baliem

JAKARTA (JP): Three children have died and 166 people have fallen ill with stomach pain and influenza after an unexpected blizzard hit their villages in Baliem Valley in Irian Jaya last month, the Antara news agency.

Thousands of people in the isolated Koyawage I and Koyawage II villages also face food shortages as the snow has virtually destroyed all sweet potato crops, the main staple in their diet, Antara quoted Jayawijaya Regency Secretary Frans Tan as saying.

The snowstorm covered the two villages between Sept. 18-21 but news of the disaster only reached Jayapura last weekend due to the poor communication between the villages and the outside world.

The news was brought by the heads of the two affected villages, Epi Kogoya and Pilemon Celegen. Frans on Monday went to the villages to look at the situation.

Yesterday he launched a relief operation to send medicines and food to the villages, both of which are located on the south side of the Trikora peak, about 2,000 meters above sea level. The only way to travel to the area is by small plane from Wamena.

Both men said most of the 4,200 who inhabit the two villages have fled their to Ilu and Sinak districts in Paniai.

The move came with residents complaining of a dried-up food supply and also of the drastic temperature changes occurring between day and night.

In Jayapura, the head of the Social Services Office, Oman Sudharman, said on Tuesday that his office had not received any request for relief aid from the authorities in Wamena. (emb)