It is estimated that it will take several days to clarify the number of victims, because the collapse is still ongoing.
In the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, the search is still on for people trapped under a massive landslide.
Rescue teams have arrived in the area today to help with the challenging search and rescue work. A landslide hit the island nation’s remote Enga province early Friday local time.
The UN and the Red Cross have estimated that the death toll from the landslide could rise significantly to over a hundred. Leading the local community Mark Ipuian according to the landslide, more than three hundred people could have been buried under it.
It is estimated that it will take several days to clarify the number of victims. So far, four people have been confirmed dead.
According to the UN situation report, the inhabitants of around sixty destroyed houses are missing.
The video provided by the Reuters news agency shows how the collapse is still in motion and is complicating rescue efforts.
Maybe the reason is the heavy rains
According to aid organizations, the landslide has also destroyed livestock, crops and sources of clean water in the area.
– The area is not densely populated, but we fear that the death toll will be disproportionately high, aid organization Care said.
A local community leader By Steven Kanda according to many residents did not have time to escape at all when the landslide started.
– The landslide was quite sudden. The mountain just collapsed quite suddenly while people were still sleeping, he described to the news agency AFP.
Support has been offered to Papua New Guinea from around the world. Offers of help have come at least from the United States, Australia and New Zealand. President of the United States Joe Biden has said that he was heartbroken by what happened.
It has been estimated that the landslide may have been caused by the heavy rains that have been in the area in recent weeks. It has been scientifically found that changes in rainfall caused by climate change can increase the risk of landslides in Papua New Guinea.
In March, twenty people died in a landslide in a nearby province.