Disaster Strikes PNG: Villages Buried by Massive Landslide, Death Toll Rises

A massive landslide struck remote Papua New Guinea villages, burying over 100 homes. While casualty numbers remain unconfirmed, officials fear many deaths amid reports of "unprecedented" devastation.

A landslide sweeps over six villages in Enga province of the highlands of Papua New Guinea on Friday morning; more than 100 homes were covered leaving many inhabitants presumed dead, say authorities and NGOs.

The catastrophe took place during the night, to be precise at 3 am local time in the territory, which is over 600 kilometers away from the country’s capital – Port Moresby. It is still difficult to establish the exact number of deaths, although photos that have circulated on social media depict quite a large area of destruction with wreckage replacing what used to be people’s dwellings.

Speaking to AFP, Enga province governor Peter Ipatas said: “It was an unprecedented natural disaster” adding that the disaster resulted in the loss of lives and properties in the affected villages. Prime Minister of PNG James Marape stated that disaster officers have been deployed to the scene to start providing support and evacuating the bodies.

Some people are still alive trapped under the debris and mud going through the difficult task of searching for them. Facebook and other social networks contain videos where people are screaming, crying, or calling for help while the search is still ongoing.

”We have heard several people died and many others injured but the figure has not been verified,” stated a spokesman for Papua New Guinea’s Red Cross. Other aid groups such as CARE are also evaluating the situation.

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While residing in a country vulnerable to calamities such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the size of this landslide was unthinkable for any local. Due to the difficulty of getting to the area, with few roads leading into the remote region, it is expected that the rescue and recovery operations will be difficult in the coming days.