Emergency services are in a race against time to reach villages in Papua New Guinea’s isolated Enga province, where a massive landslide has left hundreds of people feared dead. The rapid response team, consisting of medics and military personnel, has managed to reach the isolated site, but difficult terrain and damaged roads are hindering rescue efforts.
The landslide, which occurred in the highlands of Enga, buried hundreds of homes early Friday morning, leaving an unknown number of people trapped under the rubble. Care Australia reported that 60 homes were destroyed, with all occupants unaccounted for. With nearly 4,000 people living in the area and the possibility of more affected due to an influx of refugees from neighboring conflicts, the situation remains dire.
Enga province MP Amos Akem stated that more than 300 people and 1,182 houses were buried by the landslide, with rescue efforts hampered by blocked roads. The landslide has created debris up to 8 meters deep, affecting over 200 square kilometers of land, including a significant portion of the main highway into Enga Province.
UN official Serhan Aktoprak described the affected area as the size of three to four football fields, with fears of additional landslides complicating rescue operations. Residents from surrounding areas recounted how the landslide buried parts of the community, leaving it isolated and devastated.
Enga’s governor Peter Ipatas described the event as an “unprecedented natural disaster,” affecting as many as six villages. Prime Minister James Marape assured that the government is working with local officials to provide relief, recover bodies, and reconstruct infrastructure in the aftermath of this tragic event.
