Photo: Collected
Aid to victims of the landslide which hit a remote village in Papua New Guinea is complicated due to blocked roads and ongoing land movement, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday (28 May).
The landslide hit a remote village in the country's Enga Province at about 3 a.m. local time on Friday (17:00 GMT Thursday). Some 2,000 people were feared buried under the rubble after the landslide, the country's National Disaster Center said.
"The challenges we face in the aftermath of this tragedy are immense. The area remains extremely dangerous due to ongoing land movement, and access is hindered by blocked roads, damaged infrastructure, and adverse weather conditions," IOM Chief of Mission in Papua New Guinea Serhan Aktoprak said in the statement.
Moreover, a bridge between the affected province and a neighboring one collapsed earlier in the day, which further impeded disaster relief efforts, the organization added.
"With many bodies still to be recovered from beneath the rubble, there is concern that underground water flowing down the mountain will contaminate local drinking water sources, posing serious health risks," it also said.
Meanwhile, India announced that it would allocate $1 million in assistance to Papua New Guinea amid the landslide.
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