According to reports, over 300 people were killed after a massive landslide buried a village in Papua New Guinea’s northern region.
The toll could rise as many people are still believed to be trapped under the rubble.
A local newspaper reported that the landslide, which occurred in the country’s northern region, buried more than 300 houses and affected over 1,200 people.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation also reported that four bodies were recovered from the site.
The incident occurred in the early hours of May 24 in the village of Kaokalam in Enga Province, which is 600 kilometers from the country’s capital, Port Moresby.
According to local officials, the landslide hit the village at around 3:00 am. Many of its residents were asleep at that time.
According to a community leader, the landslide happened while the people were sleeping.
He said the houses were completely buried by the massive rockslide. A local official said that the search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
According to a UN official, there are about 3,000 people in the village that can’t be reached due to the debris and the unstable ground. He noted that it’s very dangerous to operate on the affected area due to the continued movement of the land. James Marape, the country’s Prime Minister, said that various government agencies were helping in the recovery and relief efforts.
The DFAT stated that the incident affected six villages. The agency noted that it was closely coordinating with the PNG government to gather information about the casualties and damage caused by the landslide.
According to ABC News, helicopters were the only way to get to the site due to the blocked highway. According to aid agencies, the massive landslide wiped out the village’s food gardens, livestock, and water sources. Images from the site showed that a huge chunk of Mount Mungalo had been gone. In an effort to loosen the ground, barefoot workers used various tools, such as axes and shovels, to dislodge the debris.