Hundreds of people are feared dead after a landslide struck Kaokalam village in Enga province, about 600 km northwest of the capital Port Moresby, at around 3am local time on Friday.
The landslide occurred in an isolated area in Enga province, Papua New Guinea. Photo: AFP
The Papua New Guinea Post Courier newspaper quoted a member of parliament as saying that a landslide in the Pacific nation north of Australia had buried more than 300 people and 1,182 homes.
More than six villages have been affected by the landslide in the Mulitaka region, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said on Saturday. “The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby is in close contact with PNG authorities to further assess the extent of damage and casualties,” a DFAT spokesperson said.
Four bodies were recovered from the area after emergency crews arrived in the sparsely populated area on Saturday, where the death toll is expected to rise, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. The landslide blocked access to the highway, leaving helicopters the only way to reach the area, the broadcaster said.
Social media footage posted by villagers of Ninga Role shows people climbing over rocks, uprooted trees and mounds of earth in search of survivors. Women can be heard crying in the background.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said disaster agencies, the Defence Force and the Ministry of Works and Highways were assisting in relief and recovery efforts.
Hoang Anh (according to Reuters, NDTV, AFP)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hon-300-nguoi-bi-chon-vui-trong-vu-lo-dat-nghiem-trong-o-papua-new-guinea-post296866.html
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