Unconfirmed reports received by the Post Courier newspaper said several houses had been washed away.
The National Disaster Centre could not confirm the reports as information coming in from the province was sketchy.
Several callers who braved the rising swells to reach Popondetta in dinghies said Ope and Katuna villages were the worst affected in the Ambasi area.
Attempts were made to contact the provincial disaster office, hospital and police for confirmation on the current situation on the ground in the province but were unsuccessful.
However, one caller said the sea level was continuing to rise, forcing people to take refuge on higher ground.
Another caller said they had heard about the same situation that had occurred along the coasts of New Ireland, Manus, East Sepik,
West Sepik, Madang, Morobe, and Bougainville in the last couple of weeks and now they were witnessing the unusual sea swells on their own coastline.
“For Oro Province, we have just come out of one of the worst disasters in the country’s history and while we are trying to rebuild and rehabilitate our lives, we are now experiencing another phenomenon,” the caller said.
National Disaster Services Director Martin Mose was contacted but he was not aware of the situation in the province. He was trying to reach the provincial disaster center for reports.
Mose said the warnings on the swelling seas and king tides were current so people should be alerted and organize to move to higher grounds.
“Older people and those disabled people should be priority for the villagers to make sure they are safe before the situation gets worse … we must be supportive,” Mose said.
However, the National Disaster Services said the residents of communities in the Papuan coastal region are warned of the threat of king tides and strong winds.
