Papua New Guinea landslide: 2,000 feared buried and thousands more remain at risk

Papua New Guinea landslide: 2,000 feared buried and thousands more remain at risk

Papua New Guinea authorities report that nearly 7,900 people near the site of a deadly landslide are “at risk” as rock and debris continue to move down the hillside. An evacuation alert has been issued, with a provincial official indicating that the mountain remains “very active.” Rescuers believe it is increasingly unlikely that victims will be found alive in the rubble.

The country’s disaster agency fears that about 2,000 people were buried when the mountainside collapsed last Friday, a figure significantly higher than the UN’s estimate of approximately 670 victims. The UN has cited difficulties in establishing an exact death toll due to limited access to the site and the challenges of locating those buried under the debris. The search and recovery mission has largely shifted to body retrieval, with only six bodies recovered as of Tuesday, according to local officials.

Villagers have been attempting to clear the rubble using shovels, sticks, and their bare hands, hindered by delays in the arrival of heavy machinery and cultural sensitivities regarding their use near bodies. The terrain remains dangerous, with ongoing rock falls captured in videos. 

Aid groups are focusing on delivering basic supplies such as food, water, and hygiene kits to residents, though access is complicated by a blocked highway and a collapsed bridge south of the landslide area. The mountain’s collapse has been attributed to weeks of heavy rain and other wet conditions in the area.