UN migration agency estimates more than 670 killed in Papua New Guinea landslide

World 14:02 26.05.2024

The International Organization for Migration on Sunday increased its estimate of the death toll from a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea to more than 670 as emergency responders and traumatized relatives gave up hope that any survivors will now be found, Ednews informs via the Associated Press.

Serhan Aktoprak, the chief of the UN migration agency’s mission in the South Pacific island nation, said the revised death toll was based on calculations by Yambali village and Enga provincial officials that more than 150 homes had been buried by Friday’s landslide. The previous estimate had been 60 homes.

“They are estimating that more than 670 people (are) under the soil at the moment,” Aktoprak told The Associated Press.

Local officials had initially put the death toll on Friday at 100 or more. Only five bodies and a leg of a sixth victim had been recovered by Sunday.

Relief crews were moving survivors to safer ground on Sunday as tons of unstable earth and tribal warfare, which is rife in the Papua New Guinea Highlands, threatened the rescue effort.

The national government meanwhile is considering whether it needs to officially request more international support.

Crews have given up hope of finding survivors under earth and rubble 6 to 8 meters deep.

“People are coming to terms with this so there is a serious level of grieving and mourning,” Aktoprak said.

He said the new estimated death toll was “not solid” because it was based on the average size of the region’s families per household. He would not speculate on the possibility that the actual toll could be higher.

“It is difficult to say. We want to be quite realistic,” Aktoprak said. “We do not want to come up with any figures that would inflate the reality.”

Government authorities were establishing evacuation centers on safer ground on either side of the massive swath of debris that covers an area the size of three to four football fields and has cut the main highway through the province.

Beside the blocked highway, convoys that have transported food, water and other essential supplies since Saturday to the devastated village 60 kilometers (35 miles) from the provincial capital, Wabag, have faced risks related to tribal fighting in Tambitanis village, about halfway along the route. Papua New Guinea soldiers were providing security for the convoys.

Eight locals were killed in a clash between two rival clans on Saturday in a longstanding dispute unrelated to the landslide. Around 30 homes and five retail businesses were burned down in the fighting, local officials said.

Aktoprak said he did not expect tribal combatants would target the convoys but noted that opportunistic criminals might take advantage of the mayhem to do so.

“This could basically end up in carjacking or robbery,” Aktoprak said. “There is not only concern for the safety and security of the personnel, but also the goods because they may use this chaos as a means to steal.”

Longtime tribal warfare has cast doubt on the official estimate that almost 4,000 people were living in the village when a side of Mount Mungalo fell away. The count was years old and did not take into account people who had relocated to the village more recently to flee clan violence that goverment authorities are unable to contain.

Justine McMahon, country director of the humanitarian agency CARE International, said moving survivors to “more stable ground” was an immediate priority along with providing them with food, water and shelter. The military was leading those efforts.

The numbers of injured and missing were still being assessed on Sunday. Seven people including a child had received medical treatment by Saturday, but officials had no details on their conditions.

Papua New Guinea Defense Minister Billy Joseph and the government’s National Disaster Center director Laso Mana were flying from Port Moresby by helicopter to Wabag on Sunday to gain a firsthand perspective of what is needed.

Aktoprak expected the government would decide by Tuesday whether it would officially request more international help.

The United States and Australia, a near neighbor and Papua New Guinea’s most generous provider of foreign aid, are among governments that have publicly stated their readiness to do more to help responders.

Papua New Guinea is a diverse, developing nation with 800 languages and 10 million people who are mostly subsistence farmers

 

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

The village of Jahangirbeyli is being rebuilt
13:05 24.04.2025
The strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and China is reaching a qualitatively new stage
12:48 24.04.2025
Leyla Aliyeva met with students at Beijing Foreign Studies University
12:33 24.04.2025
Armenia might resort to military provocation against Azerbaijan with France's support
12:23 24.04.2025
"China has become Azerbaijan's 4th largest trading partner"
12:23 24.04.2025
"We have sincere feelings for Azerbaijan"
12:13 24.04.2025
Pakistan ready to expand cooperation with Azerbaijan in peaceful space exploration
12:12 24.04.2025
China and Azerbaijan build comprehensive strategic partnership: messages from the country's leaders to the world
11:51 24.04.2025
Azercosmos to sign up to 10 Memorandums within the Space Technologies Conference
11:37 24.04.2025
Members of the world-famous ''NomadMania'' travel club are in Fuzuli
11:22 24.04.2025
President Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to China's CGTN TV channel in Beijing
11:11 24.04.2025
A book of condolences was opened at the Italian Embassy in Baku on the death of Francis
11:07 24.04.2025
Trainings for government officials responsible for communications organized in Baku Media
10:56 24.04.2025
"Azerbaijani Cinema Days" to be held in Turkiye
10:44 24.04.2025
ILRS can expand cooperation opportunities with Azerbaijan in the space field
10:37 24.04.2025
Space Technologies Conference to be held in Uzbekistan next year
10:31 24.04.2025
The 17th Summit of the economic organization is a struggle in Khankendi
10:23 24.04.2025
Azerbaijan to be represented at regional financial conference in the US
10:19 24.04.2025
Nikol Pashinyan condemned the burning of Azerbaijani and Turkish flags
10:15 24.04.2025
Fitch: US tariff hike will have minimal impact on Azerbaijani banks
10:12 24.04.2025
A solemn concert dedicated to the 140th anniversary of Uzeyir Hajibeyli was held in Bishkek
10:10 24.04.2025
Discussion of "Immunization Week" in Azerbaijan from April 27 to May 3
10:08 24.04.2025
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with the chairman of ''Energy China''
08:22 24.04.2025
Artificial intelligence can detect lung cancer four months before doctors
05:13 24.04.2025
Over 30,000 hectares of fruit orchards established in Azerbaijan
12:45 23.04.2025
Mascots of 3rd CIS Games to be held in Azerbaijan announced
12:42 23.04.2025
China has invited President Ilham Aliyev to the SCO Summit
12:02 23.04.2025
Azerbaijan and China signed documents in Beijing
11:54 23.04.2025
Armenia yet to confirm participation in 3rd CIS Games in Azerbaijan
11:35 23.04.2025
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan actively develop interparliamentary cooperation
11:29 23.04.2025
Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and other family members visited the Great Hall of the People
11:24 23.04.2025
The 4th meeting of the Space Agencies of the Turkic States Organization is being held in Baku
11:18 23.04.2025
Six green energy documents signed with Chinese companies
11:07 23.04.2025
The Azerbaijan-China strategic partnership is reaching a new stage
11:03 23.04.2025
Azerbaijan's success at COP29 was rewarded in London
10:55 23.04.2025
''I lost two sons in one day": victims of mine terror appeared at the trial of Ruben Vardanyan
10:44 23.04.2025
Members of the Azerbaijan Union of Chernobyl Disabled People visited the Alley of Martyrs
10:44 23.04.2025
The joint satellite of Azerbaijan, Turkey could be the flagship cooperation in the space field
10:40 23.04.2025
The mascots of the III CIS Games to be held in Azerbaijan
10:32 23.04.2025
Azerbaijan-China documents signed in Beijing
10:30 23.04.2025
Hamısı