Dozens of people are feared dead after a “massive” landslide swept through a village in northern Papua New Guinea early Friday morning, burying families and flattening homes. pic.twitter.com/iVV0lqJozj
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 24, 2024
An catastrophic landslide occurred in the isolated Enga province of Papua New Guinea on Friday morning, resulting in the burial of more than 100 dwellings and instilling considerable concern about substantial casualties. The catastrophe transpired at 3 AM (local time) in the settlement of Kaokalam, situated in the elevated regions of the southwest Pacific island nation.
The provincial governor, Peter Ipatas, verified the consequences of the avalanche, stating that there has been a “destruction of life and property.” Although the precise number of casualties is uncertain, community leader Andrew Ruing said Reuters that over 300 lives may have been buried beneath the rubble and boulders. “Food, gardens, the people, and properties worth millions have been lost, completely covered by all of these things,” Ruing continued.
More than 100 people are feared dead after a MASSIVE LANDSLIDE hit a remote village in northern Papua New Guinea early on Friday.
This just confirms Hanke’s School Boy’s Theory of History: It’s just one damn thing after another.
pic.twitter.com/xc3vKy5EJT— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) May 24, 2024
The images posted on social media show a large portion of rock and soil breaking away from a heavily forested slope, resulting in a lengthy and wide scar filled with rocks the size of cars, fallen trees, and dirt extending all the way down to the valley level. At the bottom of the landslide, one can observe the remnants of houses and makeshift shelters made of corrugated tin.
The survivors promptly initiated endeavors to remove the debris and locate individuals who were trapped, employing elongated axes, machetes, and head torches. The atmosphere was replete with lamentations and shouts as individuals scoured the wreckage in quest of their cherished ones.
Aid organizations, such as the Papua New Guinea Red Cross and CARE, have verified the occurrence of the landslide and are actively collecting additional data. The humanitarian organization Care Australia has raised concern about the potential for a significant number of deaths, noting that although the area is not heavily populated, there is a risk of a disproportionately large death toll. In addition, they observed that the process of clearing the roads will be time-consuming, impeding the evaluation and provision of assistance.
Report:
The massive landslide in Mulutaka, Enga province Papua New Guinea yesterday night. It covered many people and Will be identified after a month.
Reporter: Nehemiah Walyo pic.twitter.com/jAMLQtjleh
— Reporter Today News Channel (@reportertoday88) May 24, 2024
Papua New Guinea, located in close proximity to the equator, regularly encounters substantial precipitation. This year has experienced very heavy precipitation and flooding, which has increased the probability of these natural calamities.
While the rescue activities persist, the primary focus remains on removing the debris and delivering assistance to the impacted communities. The global world attentively monitors the situation, anticipating prompt assistance and recuperation for those affected by this calamitous incident.
Source :
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c877jnjn4m5o
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/100-feared-dead-after-landslide-strikes-papua-new-guinea/articleshow/110380898.cms
- https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/world/more-than-300-buried-in-papua-new-guinea-landslide-local-media-says-12731814.html
(The story is published based on the data from a syndicated feed. However there can be minor changes from the original source article.)
