Up to 500 feared dead in landslide in Papua New Guinea
Six villages in a remote area of Papua New Guinea have been devastated by a massive landslide. Aid agencies and first responders are en route to provide assistance.
More than a hundred people are believed to have been killed and six villages have been destroyed by a massive landslide in a remote part of Papua New Guinea.
The landslide occurred in the Enga province in the country’s highlands around 3 a.m. when most residents were asleep in their homes.
Provincial Governor Peter Ipatas described the event as an “unprecedented natural disaster” that caused substantial damage.
A rapid response team consisting of medics, military personnel, police, and UN agencies has been dispatched to assess the situation and aid the injured.
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Aid agencies, such as the Papua New Guinea Red Cross and CARE, are on standby and actively working to gather more information.
Images from the site depict a significant portion of rock and soil torn from the side of densely forested Mount Mungalo.
The aftermath of the landslide left a wide path of debris down to the valley floor, including car-sized boulders, fallen trees, and dirt. The remnants of corrugated tin shelters were visible at the base of the rubble.
Witnesses reported numerous local individuals searching through the rock and soil piles, digging, shouting, listening for survivors, or surveying the scene in disbelief. Many equipped themselves with boots, headlamps, machetes, and axes to assist in clearing the rubble.
“The landslide occurred around three in the morning, and it appears that over 100 houses were buried,” stated Vincent Pyati, president of the local Community Development Association, to AFP.
“The exact number of occupants in those houses is unknown. The casualties remain uncertain.”
The National Disaster Management Office of Papua New Guinea has confirmed the inability to provide an accurate death toll at this point.
Nickson Pakea, president of the Porgera Chamber of Commerce and Industry nearby, voiced concerns that up to 300 individuals may have been in the village during the incident. The Red Cross estimates casualties or injuries could range between 100 and 500 individuals.
Janet Philemon, interim secretary general of Red Cross PNG, mentioned that the landslide site is remote, and it may take up to two days for emergency services or aid to reach the location.
The organization is prepared to offer initial aid, blankets, and non-food items to those impacted.
“There are no signs of an earthquake or any specific trigger for this event. It is an area with gold mining, and people might have been engaged in gold mining on that mountain,” she noted.
Alternatively, heavy rainfall may have caused the landslide. Situated just south of the equator, the region experiences frequent heavy rains, with this year witnessing intense rainfall and flooding.
In March, a landslide in a neighboring province resulted in the deaths of at least 23 individuals.
On May 23 at 7 a.m., a strong magnitude 4.7 earthquake occurred in the South Pacific Ocean, 98 km (61 mi) from Papua New Guinea, just a day before the landslide.
The Australian government stated it is in contact with local authorities to ascertain if any Australians were affected.
A spokesperson added, “The Australian Government extends its sympathies to those impacted by landslides in Papua New Guinea.”
