Catastrophic event caused by nature. - Catastrophic Landslide in Papua New Guinea: Authorities Worry About 2000 Possible Casualties
Papua New Guinea's national disaster management team is concerned about at least 2000 potential fatalities following Friday's catastrophic landslide. This news was sent to the German Press Agency by a government organization on Monday. The landslide took place in Papua New Guinea's remote highlands on Friday evening (local time). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Papua New Guinea had predicted the death count at approximately 670 on Sunday.
The primary route to the region has been entirely blocked, as confirmed by a statement from the disaster management team, who addressed the United Nations in the city of Port Moresby. "The situation is still unstable, as the landslide is slowly shifting and continues to present a persistent risk for rescue teams and survivors," the statement read.
Papua New Guinea: Rescuing survivors becomes increasingly unlikely
While the rescue teams were doing their best to save more individuals from under the earth and rock, time was running out. "All we can do now is pray that we can assist in saving more lives in the short time we have left," IOM mission chief Serhan Aktoprak stated to AAP on Monday. "But the clock is ticking." Aktoprak added to the German Press Agency, "Four days after the landslide, the chances of finding survivors are becoming less likely."
Videos taken at the disaster scene showed people walking barefoot and using shovels to dig through the massive debris in an attempt to locate their loved ones. According to Aktoprak, most houses were engulfed by the landslide, with an estimated depth of six to eight meters. The United Nations is working to set up evacuation centers for the affected.
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The German Press Agency reported on Monday that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) revised their initial estimate of 670 potential fatalities to around 2000, based on recent assessments. The UN is currently aiding in the setup of evacuation centers for the displaced residents following the catastrophic landslide in Papua New Guinea. Despite the tireless efforts of rescue teams, the chances of finding survivors are dwindling, as four days have passed since the landslide.
Source: www.stern.de
