More than 2000 people ‘buried alive’ in Papua New Guinea landslide
The Australian Defence Force is providing a lifeline to embattled Papua New Guineans who are facing a new even deadlier threat in the wake of a horror landslide.
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The Australian Defence Force will spend weeks delivering lifesaving aid to our Papua New Guinean neighbours who are now battling disease, hunger and a lack clean drinking water following a deadly landslide.
A village was wiped out and up to 2000 people buried alive on May 24 when a landslide hit a remote mountainous region in Enga province.
The Australian $2.5 million aid mission, the first deliveries of which arrived on Tuesday, are crucial with the United Nations labelling the region at “significant risk” of potentially deadly diarrhoea and malaria outbreaks.
Much of the area’s water flows through the landslide site which is now a 600 metre-long graveyard.
“The creeks now flowing from the debris are contaminated, posing a significant risk of disease outbreak,” the UN’s migration agency told partners in a rapid assessment report this week.
“There are no methods being used to treat the water to make it safe for drinking.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade led humanitarian mission is delivering emergency relief supplies such as shelter, hygiene kits and specific support for women and children.
The supplies are being transported by the Royal Australian Air Force into Wapenamanda Airport in Enga Province.
Flight Lieutenant Toby Richter, captained a C-27J Spartan into the remote area.
“It’s an opportunity to help make a positive impact on people’s lives during a very difficult time, especially those directly affected by the disaster,” he said.
“We have a big mission ahead of us in support of our PNG family.”
Flt Lt Richter said Enga Province is an extremely challenging region of PNG to access due its mountainous topography, associated weather conditions and security considerations.
“This makes the delivery of large amounts of relief aid particularly difficult as there are only a handful of airfields suitable to support these operations, and the airfields are not always accessible.
“Fortunately, we have been operating the C-27J Spartan in PNG under the Defence Pacific Air Program for several rotations now, and our level of experience operating in these mountainous regions is very high.”
Defence adviser to PNG based at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby, Colonel Travis Gordon, said the two countries had a long tradition of mutual friendship.
“Australia is proud to be a partner that PNG knows will respond quickly in times of trouble,” Colonel Gordon said.
“As always, Australia, and the ADF, stand ready to respond with our PNG brothers and sisters.”
FEARS OF ANOTHER LANDSLIDE
Earlier this week, Serhan Aktoprak, chief of the International Organisation for Migration’s mission to PNG, – a United Nations affiliate organisation – told AP the situation on the ground was going from bad to worse.
“We are hearing suggestions that another landslide can happen and maybe 8,000 people need to be evacuated,” Aktoprak said.
“This is a major concern. The movement of the land, the debris, is causing a serious risk, and overall the total number of people that may be affected might be 6,000 or more.
“That includes villagers whose source of clean drinking water has been buried and subsistence farmers who lost their vegetable gardens.
“If this debris mass is not stopped, if it continues moving, it can gain speed and further wipe out other communities and villages further down the mountain.”
As of late Tuesday, just six bodies had been recovered as many rescuers were forced to dig with nothing more than shovels or even their bare hands due to the risk of bringing sizeable machinery onto the unstable ground and triggering another landslide.
A once-bustling hillside village in Enga province was almost wiped out when a chunk of Mount Mungalo collapsed in the early hours of Friday morning, burying at least 150 homes and the people sleeping inside them.
The update on the shocking toll comes after the miracle survival of a newlywed couple who were rescued after being buried in the landslide.
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT
The miracle rescue was reported by village woman Letah Rata-Christopher whose own village was flattened.
Unable to sleep, Ms Rata-Christopher was awake when the devastating landslide surged down Mount Mungalo and slammed into the village of Tuliparo in Enga.
A family friend of Ms Rata-Christopher, McBride Matai, 23, was away from home when the disaster occurred.
Mr Matai, from Tuliparo, told how Ms Rata-Christopher, a family friend, tried to help others when she realised what was happening.
“She was the one that was actually out trying to warn the villagers,” Mr Matai said.
Many people were alerted to the horror but didn’t have enough time to flee or get back inside to their children.
“When the movement actually approached them they did not have enough time to go back to their homes and rescue their children,” he said.
Others who did manage to get back into their homes were buried alive when the landslide smashed into them.
Mr Matai, who is studying civil engineering, said Ms Rata-Christopher heard the rumble and then saw stones flying down the mountain, breaking down trees in their path.
At first, it didn’t make a large noise and she “felt the force” of it before she saw the horrific sight.
She told him: “People were crushed in their homes – the soil covered everything.”
MIRACLE RESCUE OF NEWLYWEDS
Mr Matai said the survival of a newly married couple was one of the few successful rescues, despite their home being covered in dirt and rubble.
“They were alive inside … people actually rushed to them and rescued them,” he said.
Mr Matai said the couple was trapped for several hours after the landslide and it was only “their screams” for help that alerted villagers.
The daring rescue was not without risk – for hours after the initial landslide the land was “continuously moving”.
Tragically, many others weren’t as lucky. Mr Matai was told of bodies being found on the street, partially covered with soil.
Mr McBride is a volunteer with Blood Bikes, a not for profit organisation that delivers blood and medical supplies between hospitals. He said he was trying to raise money “in this moment of despair” about how to raise much needed funds.
“We’ll start a GoFundMe page soon for donations,” he said.
MESSAGE FROM KING CHARLES
King Charles has sent a message to the people affected by the collapse of Mount Mugalo.
Papua New Guinea is a constitutional monarchy and the Head of State is King Charles III, represented in PNG by Governor-General Sir Robert Dadae.
“My wife and I were deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the devastating landslide in Enga, and the tragic loss of so many lives, homes and food gardens.
“I have witnessed first-hand and have great admiration for the extraordinary resilience of the peoples of Papua New Guinea and the Highlands.
“I have faith that your communities will come together to support the survivors and the recovery in these heartbreaking circumstances.
“My wife joins me in sending our most heartfelt condolences to the families and communities who have suffered so much as a result of this appallingly traumatic event. Papua New Guinea is very much in our special thoughts and prayers.
AUSTRALIA PLEDGES HELP
Rescuers are racing against time to find more survivors.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Australia’s High Commissioner for Papua New Guinea have offered Australian support in rescue, relief and recovery.
“Australia’s High Commission in Port Moresby is in close contact with PNG authorities for further assessments on the extent of the damage and casualties, and Australia stands ready to respond to requests from the PNG Government,” a DFAT spokesman said.
– With AFP
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