The United Nations estimates that the death toll from a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea, an island country in the Pacific, has exceeded 600.
According to the Associated Press (AP) and Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports on the 26th (local time), the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that more than 150 houses in six or more villages were buried due to the landslide occurred in the mountainous region of Enga Province on the morning of the 24th, and the death toll is estimated to exceed 670.
This is about double the previous estimate of about 300 deaths made by the IOM.
The IOM also stated that buildings including elementary schools, stalls, and gas stations as well as vegetable gardens and orchards cultivated by residents were completely buried, resulting in over 1,000 victims.
The IOM explained that they estimated the number of deaths by calculating the average number of family members in the houses, as the chances of their survival are slim.
The rescue efforts have been slow due to road blockages from the landslide and ongoing disputes among local tribes, making it difficult for rescue teams and heavy equipment to enter the area. As a result, the exact number of casualties is not being properly tallied.
ABC Australia reported that a helicopter is the only way to access this area.
Serhan Aktoprak, the IOM representative in Papua New Guinea, explained that “rocks and soil continue to fall from the mountains, preventing rescue operations from progressing,” and that residents are suffering from great shock and fear.
The landslide that occurred on the morning of the 24th was due to heavy rains that had been falling for several weeks.
According to the World Bank, Papua New Guinea is one of the countries with the most rainfall in the world, but experts say that the risk of landslides is increasing as more rain falls in the region due to climate change.