Rescue efforts continue after the landslide in Papua New Guinea, while they estimate more than 2,000 dead

Following the devastating landslide that devastated Enga province, Papua New Guinea, last Friday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), its partners and local authorities are rapidly mobilizing to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

According to the country’s National Disaster Center, more than 2,000 people have been buried under rubble after the enormous landslide caused by heavy rains, making it one of the deadliest disasters in the country’s recent history.

According to provincial authorities, The catastrophe has so far affected more than 7,840 people, including those confirmed dead or missing and 1,650 displaced. Many of the displaced had previously taken refuge in the area to flee tribal conflicts, which accentuates the vulnerability of the population.

“The magnitude of this catastrophe is truly heartbreaking,” said the head of the IOM Mission in Papua New Guinea. “We are coordinating with local authorities and international partners to help those affected, as thousands of people have lost their homes and belongings in the blink of an eye,” added Serhan Aktoprak.

The landslide, which occurred at approximately 3:00 a.m. local time, engulfed the area, burying homes, infrastructure and farmland under up to eight meters of earth and debris. So far only six bodies have been recovered.

“The challenges we face after this tragedy are immense,” Aktoprak stressed. “The area remains extremely dangerous due to continuous earthworks, and access is hampered by blocked roads, damaged infrastructure and adverse weather conditions”.

Fear of new landslides

Added to the efforts to rescue those affected is the fear that the flooded terrain could move again. “We do not want a catastrophe added to the current one,” declared this Tuesday the regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific of the IOM.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva from Bangkok, Itayi Viriri highlighted that safe access remains extremely difficult. “Just today, this morning, a bridge collapsed on one of the main access roads to this area. And now they have to fix it to make sure that all the convoys that are going to provide support have access.”

The agency warned that, with so many bodies still to be recovered from beneath the rubble, there is concern that groundwater running down the mountain will contaminate local drinking water sources. Furthermore, most of them are now inaccessible due to landslides.

“What is needed now, obviously, is access to clean water; “Much of the water that the community would normally have access to is already under the rubble,” Viriri said. “So, in addition to food, of course, clothing, warm items, kitchen utensils, anything that can alleviate the hardships that people are facing right now.”

Viriri specified that this type of landslide had not occurred before in that area, so it is difficult to predict if it will occur again, but they do not rule it out. “The ground is unstable (…) and some of the videos have been seen of water coming out of some of the rubble, so that makes it even more so. Yes, unfortunately we have to consider that it can happen again.”

More than 40% of those affected are under 16 years of age

For its part, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicated that it is working closely with the country’s authorities and community organizations to provide vital support to survivors.

“More than 40% of those affected are children under 16 years of age who have been deeply traumatized. for the loss of their families, homes and livelihoods,” said agency representative Angela Kearney.

In a first response, UNICEF distributed hygiene kits and participated in assessments to determine the broader needs of affected communities in water, sanitation and hygiene, education, child protection, health and nutrition.