A massive landslide that struck a remote area of Papua New Guinea may have buried as many as 2,000 people—well above an initial estimate of 500 and more than three times the United Nation’s (U.N.) estimate of 640.
The new figure comes from the PNG government, which has formally asked the international community for assistance.
On May 26, crews said they had given up hope of finding survivors under earth and rubble, six to eight metres deep, and spread over an area of 200 square kilometres (77 square miles).
The landslide slipped from the side of the densely vegetated Mount Mungalo in Enga province a few hours before dawn on May 24.
According to the U.N.’s Papua New Guinea office, as recently as this morning, six people, including a child, were pulled from the rubble alive.
Heavy rain fell for two hours overnight in the provincial capital of Wabag, 60 kilometres from the disaster site, but a weather report was not available for the devastated village of Yambali, where communications are limited.
The chief of the International Organisation for Migration’s mission in Papua New Guinea, Serhan Aktoprak, said water was seeping between the debris and the earth below, increasing the risk of another landslide and posing a danger to rescuers, who have been digging with shovels and farming tools to find bodies.
In a letter to the U.N.’s resident co-ordinator dated May 26, the acting director of Papua New Guinea’s National Disaster Center said the landslide had “buried more than 2,000 people alive” and caused “major destruction to buildings, food gardens, and caused major impact on the economic lifeline of the country.”
It was not clear how officials had calculated the new number of people affected. The remains of only six people have been recovered so far.
On May 26, Papua New Guinea’s Defence Minister Billy Joseph, and the Director of the National Disaster Centre Laso Mana, flew in an Australian military helicopter from the capital of Port Moresby to Yambali, 600 kilometres to the northwest, to inspect the site and discuss with rescuers what support is needed.
Earth-moving equipment used by the country’s military was being transported to the disaster scene.
In February, at least 26 men were killed in Enga Province in an ambush amid tribal violence, which led people to seek refuge in remote areas, including Yambali, meaning as many as 4,000 people could be without shelter or food. The main road remains cut off, with helicopters being the only way to access the affected area.
Australia is preparing to send aircraft and other equipment to help. Overnight rains in the country’s mountainous interior raise fears that the tons of rubble could become dangerously unstable.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said officials had been talking with their Papua New Guinea counterparts since May 24.
“The exact nature of the support that we do provide will play out over the coming days.” Mr. Marles told the ABC.
“We’ve got obviously airlift capacity to get people there. There may be other equipment that we can bring to bear in terms of the search and rescue, and all of that we are talking through with PNG right now,” he said.
