More than 1,000 people became homeless in the southern highlands province of Papua New Guinea ( PNG) after flood waters destroyed homes, food gardens, cash crops and killed domestic animals.

Major rivers in the region burst their banks due to the heavy and continued raining in the past eight weeks and the raging floodwaters had also destroyed roads and bridges, PNG newspaper Post-Courier reported on Monday.

In the Western Highlands, 700 people in Anglimp were left homeless when the Wahgi River burst its banks and floodwaters swept through their villages while in the Nebilyer area, more than 10,000 people were cut off from the rest of the province because flood waters have washed away two bridges.

In Chimbu Province, the flooding Wahgi swept away several people in Karamui last week and was also threatening food gardens, cash crops and homes along the banks of the river.

The situation was expected to get worse because the National Weather Service has said more rain was expected in the coming weeks.

Local leaders have called on the National Disaster and Emergency Services to immediately send officers into the area to assess the situation and provide assistance.

(Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2009)