An estimated 670 people were feared to be buried in a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea, according to a UN official. Serhan Aktoprak, who is the head of the International Organization for Migration in the country, said the impact of Friday’s landslide in remote Enga province was bigger than initially thought. “There are an estimated 150-plus houses now buried,” Mr Aktoprak said.
The affected areas are located in the Enga highlands, in the north of the island, in the southwest Pacific. Rescuers were at risk because “the land still sliding” and “rocks are still falling”, Mr Aktoprak said. “The water is running and this is creating a massive risk for everyone involved,” he said.
Additionally, residents were forced to evacuate 250 homes in areas not directly affected by the landslide after cracks appeared in the ground. Almost 4,000 people live in the region.
Papua New Guinea Landslide: Death Toll Could Be Higher
But Care Australia, the aid organization helping with the relief efforts, warned that the number of people affected was “likely to be higher” due to the influx of people fleeing tribal conflicts in neighboring areas. The disaster has resulted in the displacement of at least 1,000 people.
According to Mr Aktoprak, gardens used to grow food and water supplies had been completely destroyed.
The landslide occurred around 03:00 local time (17:00 GMT Thursday) when people were probably sleeping.
“We still don’t know the exact number of fatalities from the landslide, and may not know for some time,” said a spokesperson for Care Australia. “However, the time that the landslide occurred suggests that the death toll will rise.”
As of Sunday, only five bodies had been found, along with the partial remains of another.
Teams faced a number of difficulties in recovering the bodies, including the reluctance of some grieving relatives to let heavy machinery near their loved ones, Mr Aktoprak told the BBC.
Instead, he said, “people are using digging sticks, spades, large agricultural forks to remove the bodies buried under the soil”.
Debris, including large boulders, trees and displaced soil, is up to 8m (26ft) deep in some areas.
There is only one main road into Enga province and Care Australia said debris had fallen over much of it, which has resulted in limited access to the rescue site.
Tribal violence along the main road could complicate relief efforts, according to Mr Aktoprak.
Relief Efforts Are On
Those affected by the landslide have started receiving food and water from local communities, while provincial authorities will provide relief items such as food, water and hygiene items starting Monday.
The International Organization for Migration, a unit of the United Nations, is providing non-food items such as blankets, bedding and mattresses.
Mr Aktoprak said as of Sunday, the National Disaster Centre, part of the Papua New Guinea government, had not requested help from other countries.
Papua New Guinea has a population of more than 11.7 million. With around 850 indigenous languages, it is the country with the greatest linguistic diversity in the world, according to the World Bank.
