Papua New Guinea Reports Over 2,000 Buried Alive in Massive Landslide to UN

Papua New Guinea has reported to the UN that over 2,000 people have been buried in a massive landslide that devastated a remote village. The information was revealed in a letter obtained by AFP.

According to the country’s national disaster centre, the landslide, which occurred in Enga province, buried more than 2,000 people alive and caused extensive damage.

The disaster struck early Friday morning when a large section of Mount Mungalo collapsed, engulfing a once-thriving hillside village and burying many homes and their sleeping inhabitants.

The landslide has caused significant destruction to buildings, food gardens, and disrupted the economic lifeline of the region, the disaster office detailed. It also completely blocked the main highway to Porgera Mine, a critical route for the area.

The disaster centre noted that the situation remains perilous as the landslip continues to shift, posing ongoing risks to rescue teams and survivors. The scale of the disaster necessitates immediate and coordinated actions involving the army and national and regional responders.

The disaster centre has urged the UN to inform Papua New Guinea’s development partners and other international allies about the current situation. Coordination of assistance should be managed through the disaster centre to ensure an effective response.

Sola Adeniji

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