Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea visited the site of a devastating landslide that occurred a week ago in the country's mountainous interior. The landslide, which buried hundreds of villagers in the Yambali village, has left the ground unstable, hindering efforts to clear the debris.
Marape expressed gratitude for the condolences received from various governments and world leaders, including the United States, China, India, France, Malaysia, and the Czech Republic. The UK's King Charles III also extended sympathies as Papua New Guinea's constitutional head of state.
Despite the arrival of the first mechanized excavator at the scene, the unstable ground has prevented the removal of boulders, rocks, and trees blocking the Enga province's main highway. Villagers have been using basic tools to recover bodies, with only seven found so far.
The United Nations estimates that 670 villagers perished in the landslide, displacing 1,650 survivors. The government believes over 2,000 people may have been buried.
Geotechnical reports have confirmed the area's instability, delaying the use of heavy machinery to avoid triggering further disasters. A dispute between local landowners and a nearby gold mine, as well as the sensitivities of grieving villagers, have further complicated the debris removal process.
Efforts to access the disaster site with earthmoving equipment from the Porgera Gold Mine have been hindered by financial disputes. The mine, isolated by the landslide, has offered assistance in clearing the highway, but obstacles remain.
Some survivors wish to preserve the debris as a memorial, while concerns have been raised about the psychological impact on children in the region. UNICEF has highlighted the vulnerability of children to malnutrition in the aftermath of the disaster and emphasized the need for urgent assistance.
