MORE than 700 people in Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands province have been left homeless after a river burst its banks following weeks of heavy rain, local media reported today.

An estimated 25 hectares of land was inundated when the Waghi River flooded early yesterdaymorning, swamping vegetable gardens, cash crops and livestock, the National newspaper reported.

The country's National Disaster Centre committed $50,156 to the Western Highlands provincial government to help more than 700 displaced villagers in the Dei region, it said.

Community leader Gabriel Nolai said the works department and two local construction companies were partly to blame for failing to build adequate drainage. -- AFP