24-5-2024 (PORT MORESBY) In a tragic turn of events, a massive landslide has reportedly claimed the lives of approximately 100 people in the remote village of Kaokalam, located in the rugged province of Enga, Papua New Guinea (PNG). The harrowing incident occurred in the early hours of Friday morning, around 3 a.m., according to reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Heartbreaking images circulating on social media platforms depict the aftermath of the catastrophic landslide, with residents scaling towering mounds of rock, debris, and uprooted tree trunks in a desperate attempt to assess the extent of the damage and search for survivors.
While Reuters has been unable to independently verify the staggering death toll, local media reports indicate that recovery efforts are underway as authorities and volunteers work tirelessly to retrieve the bodies of those who perished in this devastating natural disaster.
Requests for comment from PNG government officials and law enforcement agencies have thus far gone unanswered, reflecting the challenges of coordinating a response in such a remote and inaccessible region.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, media outlets in the Pacific island nation have raised concerns that the landslide may have impacted operations at the Porgera gold mine, a significant economic contributor to the region. The mine, operated by Barrick Niugini Ltd, a joint venture between Barrick Gold and China’s Zijin Mining, has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the potential impact on its operations.
This latest tragedy comes just months after a separate landslide in a nearby province claimed the lives of at least 23 individuals in March of this year, underscoring the precarious existence faced by many residents in PNG’s isolated and mountainous regions.
