Janice R. Andrews
In the secluded village of Yambali, northern Papua New Guinea, a major landslide has resulted in the terrible confirmation of over 300 deaths. The community, which is around two hours’ drive from Wabag, the province seat, was completely submerged in the early hours of Friday due to the accident.
The avalanche has destroyed 1,182 dwellings, according to Amos Akem, an MP for the province of Enga, adding to the tragic death toll. Relief workers’ efforts are now hampered by the blocked road to Yambali.
According to information obtained on the ground, the landslide buried 1,182 buildings and more than 300 individuals, according to Akem.
Although official death tolls from national authorities are still pending, preliminary estimates point to approximately 100 deaths. But considering the scope of the catastrophe, Serhan Aktoprak, the head of the International Organization for Migration’s mission in Papua New Guinea, hinted that the death toll would be significantly higher. The area affected by the landslide is equivalent to three or four football fields, and it is still moving, making rescue and recovery efforts more difficult.
The provincial administrator of Enga, Sandis Tsaka, stated that teams for disaster relief, law enforcement, and medical professionals had been sent in to evaluate the damage and provide aid to the affected individuals.
Early this morning, a terrible landslide that is being called an extraordinary natural tragedy happened. inflicting significant harm to assets and missing human lives, Tsaka stated, pleading with the federal government and other institutions for assistance.
Pictures circulated on social media show locals scrambling over massive boulders and rubble, which are still there from the disastrous incident. In addition to expressing his sympathies, Prime Minister James Marape promised that disaster management personnel, the PNG Defense Force, and the Department of Works and Highways are preparing to deliver aid, retrieve bodies, and rebuild infrastructure.
Local shop owner Elizabeth Laruman recounted the scene, pointing out that the collapse of the mountainside had flattened dwellings. “The entire village has gone down, and it happened when people were still asleep in the early hours,” she claimed.
With more than 800 languages spoken by its diverse population, Papua New Guinea has difficulties as a result of its underdeveloped infrastructure. The majority of its 10 million residents are subsistence farmers who work in remote locations with little access to the internet or telephones. The incident highlights how challenging it is to respond to and communicate during a disaster in such remote areas.
