TheLittleTwentieth – Renowned Papers Edition, AI Infused

Local sources from Indonesia: BBC.com, Tempo.co English.
UK coverage: The Guardian.

An emergency convoy is en route to a remote village in Papua New Guinea that was devastated by a landslide, leaving scores of people feared buried. According to the International Organisation for Migration’s mission chief in the country, an assessment team has suggested that 100 people have died and 60 houses have been buried by the mountainside collapse. The main road between the village and the capital is blocked, hindering relief efforts. The death toll may be higher if the estimated number of buried houses is accurate. The village, home to nearly 4,000 people, is in desperate need of food, water, shelters, and blankets.

Emergency services are racing against time to rescue victims of a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea’s isolated Enga province. The landslide, which occurred in the highlands of Enga, buried hundreds of homes, leaving many feared dead. Relief efforts have been hampered by difficult terrain and damage to main roads, with parts of the affected area only accessible via helicopter. However, a group of rescuers from humanitarian agency Care Australia managed to reach the region.

The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Papua New Guinea reported that the local emergency response team has so far retrieved three bodies and provided emergency medical assistance to six survivors, including one child. Care Australia has stated that up to 60 homes were completely destroyed, and all the members of these households remain unaccounted for. The number of affected people is likely to be higher due to an influx of individuals escaping tribal conflicts in neighboring areas. There is concern that other villages could also be at risk if the landslide continues down the mountain.

Amos Akem, an Enga province MP, revealed that based on reports from the ground, more than 300 people and 1,182 houses were buried by the landslide. The rescue efforts have been hindered by a blocked road connecting the affected Yambali village and the capital. The landslide caused debris up to 8 meters deep, affecting over 200 square kilometers of land, including 150 meters of the main highway into Enga Province.

The area affected by the landslide covers the size of three to four football fields, according to UN official Serhan Aktoprak. While some houses in the village were spared, given the scale of the disaster, the death toll could reach over 100. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) stated that more than six villages have been impacted by the landslide in the Mulitaka province.

Efforts to reach the affected area have been challenging due to the blocked roads, making helicopters the only means of access. Disturbing social media footage posted by a villager showed people desperately searching for survivors amidst the rubble. Prime Minister James Marape has mobilized disaster response teams, Defense Forces, and the Department of Works and Highways to aid in rescue and recovery efforts. The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby is closely coordinating with the PNG authorities to assess the extent of the damage and casualties.

As the emergency convoy races against time to reach the devastated village, the focus is on providing immediate assistance to the affected population. Food, water, shelters, and blankets are urgently needed to support the nearly 4,000 people in the village. The international community and humanitarian organizations are called upon to join forces in providing aid and support to the affected region.