Papua New Guinea's Landslide: Govt Confirms No Indonesians Affected

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that no Indonesian citizens were victims of the landslide disaster in Papua New Guinea. More than 670 people were feared to have died based on estimates by the UN migration agency, IOM.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs report stated that the Indonesian Embassy in Port Moresby had coordinated with local authorities and the Indonesian community and would continue to monitor the situation. "So far, there is no information about any Indonesian victims in the disaster," said the Ministry in a short message to journalists on Sunday, May 26, 2024.

Authorities are still carrying out rescue efforts in Papua New Guinea, although dangerous conditions on the ground hampered the measures. Papua New Guinea’s media previously estimated that the disaster that occurred on Friday, May 24, 2024, had claimed the lives of more than 300 people. But more than 48 hours later, the IOM said the death toll was likely more than double, as the extent of the destruction remained unclear and rescue efforts were ongoing. 

The agency based its death toll estimates on information provided by officials at Yambali Village in the Enga province, who say more than 150 houses were buried in Friday's landslide, Serhan Aktoprak, the chief of the agency's mission in Papua New Guinea said in an email statement.

"Land is still sliding, rocks are falling, ground soil is cracking due to constant increased pressure, and groundwater is running thus the area is posing an extreme risk for everyone," Aktoprak said in an e-mail, as quoted by Reuters.

More than 250 houses nearby have been abandoned by the inhabitants, who had taken temporary shelter with their relatives and friends, and some 1,250 people have been displaced, the agency said.

"People are using digging sticks, spades, large agricultural forks to remove the bodies buried under the soil," Aktoprak said.

The IOM said an elementary school, small businesses and stalls, a guesthouse, and a petrol station were also buried.

The UN's Papua New Guinea office said five bodies were retrieved from an area where 50 to 60 homes had been destroyed, and several injured were reported, including at least 20 women and children.

IOM said the community in this village was relatively young and it's feared that the most fatalities would be children of 15 years or younger.

NABIILA AZZAHRA A. | REUTERS

Editor’s Choice: More Than 670 Feared Dead in Papua New Guinea Landslide 

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News