300 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA LANDSLIDE

Sat 25 May 2024:

The death toll from a massive landslide in northern Papua New Guinea has exceeded 300, according to lawmaker Aimos Akem. The landslide, which struck the Maip-Mulitaka region early Friday, also destroyed 1,182 houses in the Rural LLG area, as reported by the PNG Post Courier. Akem confirmed that over 300 people were buried and six villages were devastated.

The Australian Defence force is on standby tonight as Papua New Guinea faces a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

A landslide in the country’s remote highlands region has left hundreds unaccounted for, and the only road into the region is blocked off. #9News pic.twitter.com/Tc7v1M6vya

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) May 25, 2024

The landslide obliterated Yambili village in Enga province, located over 600 kilometers northwest of the capital, Port Moresby. Local leader Mark Ipuia stated that the village is now covered in large piles of rocks from the landslide, which occurred around 3 a.m. local time.

The official death toll has not yet been confirmed by local authorities. The landslide also blocked a road leading to Porgera, a town known for its large gold mine.

“Authorities say the scale of the landslide is ‘massive’, but they still cannot confirm the death toll,” said Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington, reporting from Jakarta in Indonesia.

She said the disaster affected a community of mostly subsistence farmers living in a “remote and quite hilly area where landslides are common”.

“Many homes have been destroyed as well as the gardens that people rely on to feed themselves in these communities,” our correspondent added.

Enga’s provincial governor Peter Ipatas told the AFP news agency that a big landslide had caused “loss of life and property”. He said at least six villages had been affected.

Prime Minister James Marape said in a statement that he was yet to be fully briefed on the situation but assured that relevant authorities are working diligently to address the disaster.

“We are sending in disaster officials, PNG Defence Force, and the Department of Works and Highways to meet provincial and district officials in Enga and also start relief work, recovery of bodies, and reconstruction of infrastructure,” Marape said.

“I will release further information as I am fully briefed on the scale of destruction and loss of lives.”

Both the US and Australia have offered assistance to the Papua New Guinea government. President Joe Biden and his wife expressed their concern for those affected, while Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that Canberra is ready to help.

The region, situated just south of the equator, frequently experiences heavy rains. This year has been particularly severe, with intense rainfall and flooding. In March, a nearby province also experienced a deadly landslide that claimed at least 23 lives.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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