At least 670 people are expected to die after a landslide in Papua New Guinea, according to local United Nations officials. A landslide struck a rural area of the island nation early on Friday, but search and rescue efforts were hampered by difficulties in reaching the disaster site and moving ground continuing to pose dangers.
Serhan Aktoprak, head of the IOM mission in Papua New Guinea, said the danger prompted many survivors to abandon their homes, estimating that more than 250 houses were abandoned and about 1,250 People are displaced.
The area, located in Enga province, is densely populated and has a young population, according to local officials. Authorities fear many of those killed were children under 15.
Aktoplak said local authorities had provided food and water to about 600 people, and a humanitarian convoy made up of local officials and members of the International Organization for Migration had traveled to the area on Sunday. An aid convoy arrived Saturday afternoon and delivered tarps and water, but no food.
Various conditions make distribution difficult. As of Sunday afternoon, the land was still sliding, rocks were falling and the soil was cracking from increased pressure and groundwater flow. Aktoplak said earthmoving equipment has not yet arrived and people are using tools such as shovels and pitchforks to find the bodies.
Tribal clashes have erupted in the area over the past few months. A brawl broke out between the two tribes on Saturday morning, sparking safety concerns for those traveling on the only available road. Aktoplak said eight people were killed and dozens of houses burned in the clashes.
The landslide hit the village around 3am on Friday, hitting the houses of many residents while many were sleeping. Some of the boulders burying homes and cutting off major highways are larger than shipping containers.
