Catastrophes - Many may have perished following a landslide in Papua New Guinea.
Following a landslide in a remote region of Papua New Guinea, authorities now fear the death toll may be much higher than initially expected. The incident occurred in the Enga province, a part of the Pacific island nation.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated that at least 670 people might have died. Local leaders had estimated that around 150 homes were engulfed in the landslide that occurred at around 3 a.m. on Friday. This calculation implies that at least 670 residents lost their lives, as the homes were buried 6 to 8 meters deep in the debris.
However, the United Nations could only confirm five deaths so far, and there were reports of injuries, including 20 women and children.
The true number of residents in the affected area is uncertain as official records suggest nearly 4,000 people lived there. However, aid organizations believe that more people may have been present.
One village, Yambali, is believed to be completely buried. This was reported by the Australian aid organization Care, which is working at the disaster site. Like many others, Care is unable to provide an exact count of the victims. The situation may remain unclear "for some time," explained a spokeswoman. The late-night incident might have caused many residents to be at home.
Two health centers were also located at the site of the tragedy, according to Australian broadcaster ABC, and the entire village of Yambali might have been fully swallowed by the earth.
Due to the area's lack of accessibility and the vast quantity of earth that slid, there was little hope of finding anyone alive. The central province of Enga is described as having dense forests and a towering mountain range with inaccessible valleys, some of which are only reachable by air. Most of the population, who primarily belong to different tribes, live in isolation, with the closest larger town being over 600 kilometers away.
The IOM's head of mission for Papua New Guinea, Serhan Aktoprak, said that even the provincial capital of Wabag, about two hours away, is only accessible via a poorly maintained road. The western district of Porgera also remains inaccessible after the recent landslide. Thus, it took some time for assistance from outside to eventually reach the ravaged area.
On-site, survivors were attempting to unearth the victims using regular tools and weapons. However, the shortage of heavy equipment remained a challenge. Yet, local cultural norms may impede large-scale excavation efforts. A local businessman had brought his excavator to the scene and made it available, said Aktoprak.
Due to the unstable earth, around 1,250 surviving residents had to be evacuated. Aktoprak also had to seek safety himself, as he arrived. "Boulders are falling constantly, and the earth is still moving," he told the Australian broadcaster ABC. Care noted the military was trying to set up temporary shelters for displaced residents, which is proving difficult given the unstable ground.
The provincial and national governments, along with UN staff, have formed an emergency team and have arrived at the scene. Authorities in Australia and the United States have also pledged aid in the relief effort.
The island of New Guinea, just north of Australia, is being relentlessly plagued by nature's wrath. Its location near the equator means heavy rainfall is routine. Additionally, it lies on the notorious Pacific Ring of Fire, a region rife with seismic activity. Just a few days prior, a magnitude 4.5 earthquake jolted the province of Enga. It's unclear what sparked the landslide.
Furthermore, a dispute between two clans escalated and interrupted the rescue efforts in the village of Tambitanis, according to the UN's Aktoprak. This conflict caused eight deaths and destroyed 35 residences and businesses.
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Source: www.stern.de
