Nearly 500 people are reportedly homeless in the Huon Gulf district of Papua New Guinea's Morobe province after a freak thunderstorm flattened their homes.
The newspaper, The National, reports that villagers of Maiama on Morobe's coast lost 32 homes and most of their food gardens in the strong winds and heavy rains on Monday night.
It is the second disaster to have affected Maiama village in a week after last Wednesday's 2-metre-high flooding of the Masira River which swept away 25 homes and gardens.
Police say last week's devastation left more than 100 people homeless but that this week's storm has worsened the situation with more than 300 more people left without shelter.
