Villagers in Papua New Guinea are digging through rocks and mud to rescue survivors and retrieve bodies after a massive landslide swallowed 670 people alive.
The catastrophe struck early Friday morning, obliterating a bustling village in Enga province and causing damage extending nearly a kilometre.
The landslide has buried more than 150 houses and displaced about 1,250 people.
Community leader Ignas Nembo said that locals feel abandoned, using shovels and their bare hands to dig people out.
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In his words, “It’s been almost three to four days now but [many] bodies are not located yet. It is still covered by the landslide and people are finding it really hard to dig them out. They are calling for the government for support and help,” Nembo said.
Serhan Aktoprak from the International Organisation for Migration highlighted the challenges faced by rescue teams, including the reluctance of some grieving relatives to allow heavy machinery near their loved ones. Instead, residents have resorted to using digging sticks, spades, and agricultural forks to recover bodies.
Meanwhile, Justine McMahon, the country coordinator of Care Australia, said the ground is unstable and could trigger further landslides, so her team has decided to stay out for now to allow authorities to conduct rescue and recovery operations.
Acting Provincial Police Commander, Martin Kelei, has however confirmed that soldiers have arrived and are attempting to remove boulders, but warned that these efforts are precarious and risk further rock slips.
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