Papua New Guinea Concludes Search for Survivors Under Rubble
Papua New Guinea has ruled out finding more survivors from last week’s massive landslide in Enga Province, as the UN’s migration agency warns of a looming health crisis among displaced residents. Contaminated water sources and insufficient food supplies have escalated the risk of disease outbreaks.
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Critical Aid Arrives in Papua New Guinea as Villagers Search for Loved Ones
On May 29, the Australian Defence Force delivered aid to Wapenamanda Airport, near Yambali village, where the landslide struck. This aid is crucial, as the United Nations’ migration agency (IOM) reported that creeks flowing from the debris are polluted, posing significant health risks such as diarrhoea and malaria.
Over the past week, villagers have been digging through the rubble in search of relatives, with the stench of decomposing bodies becoming overwhelming. The disaster has left a 600-metre-long stretch of land buried under soil and rocks, making recovery operations treacherous.
Officials confirmed 11 bodies recovered, with at least two survivors. Initial government estimates suggested over 2,000 might be buried, though more recent assessments place the death toll in the hundreds.
Unstable terrain and destroyed infrastructure have made relief efforts more difficult. The IOM stressed the critical need for food supplies, purification tablets, and clean water. Unreliable estimates of casualties and displacement are further complicating international response efforts. As aid agencies continue to grapple with these challenges, the full scale of the tragedy remains uncertain.
