More Than 300 Buried in Devastating Papua New Guinea Landslide

May 25, 2024 - A massive landslide has devastated a remote village in northern Papua New Guinea, burying over 300 people and 1,182 houses, according to local media reports.

The landslide occurred around 3 AM local time on Friday in Kaokalam village, Enga Province, about 370 miles northwest of the capital Port Moresby. Aimos Akem, a member of the country's parliament, stated that over 300 people were buried by the landslide that leveled the village.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) reported that more than six villages in the Mulitaka region were impacted by the disaster. Rescue and recovery efforts are underway, but access to the remote area has been blocked by the landslide, with helicopters being the only viable way to reach the site.

So far, four bodies have been recovered, but the death toll is expected to rise significantly as emergency teams continue searching the debris. Footage posted on social media by a local villager showed people desperately searching through the rubble of uprooted trees and mounds of dirt for survivors, with women heard weeping in the background.

Prime Minister James Marape has said that disaster officials, the Defense Force, and the Department of Works and Highways are all involved in the ongoing relief and recovery operations. The Australian government has also stated that its High Commission in Port Moresby is in close contact with Papua New Guinean authorities to coordinate further assessments and assistance.

This catastrophic landslide serves as a tragic reminder of the devastating impacts that natural disasters can have on vulnerable communities in remote regions. As the recovery efforts continue, the people of Papua New Guinea will need substantial international support to overcome this devastating loss of life and property.

超過300人在巴布亞新畿內山泥傾瀉中喪生

2024年5月25日 - 一場大規模的山泥傾瀉摧毀了巴布亞新畿內北部一個偏遠村莊,據當地媒體報導,已有超過300人被埋葬,1,182間房屋也遭到破壞。

這起山泥傾瀉事件發生在當地時間星期五凌晨3時,地點位於恩加省的Kaokalam村,距離首都莫爾茲比港約370英里。國會議員Aimos Akem表示,超過300人被這場摧毀整個村莊的山泥傾瀉所掩埋。

澳洲外交貿易部表示,Mulitaka區域的6個以上村莊受到這場災難的影響。救援和恢復工作正在進行,但由於山泥阻塞了通往該地區的公路,直升機成為唯一可行的運輸方式。

到目前為止,已找到4具遺體,但由於救援隊持續在瓦礫堆中搜索,預計死亡人數將大幅上升。一名當地村民在社交媒體上發佈的影片顯示,人們正在被樹木和泥土堆埋住的地方艱難地搜尋生還者,女性的哀哭聲此起彼落。

總理James Marape表示,災害管理部門、國防部隊和公路部門都參與了正在進行的救援和恢復行動。澳洲政府也表示,在港莫爾茲比的高級專員館正在與巴布亞新畿內當局密切聯繫,以協調進一步的評估和援助。

這起慘烈的山泥傾瀉事件再次提醒了自然災害對偏遠地區脆弱社區造成的毀滅性影響。在救援工作持續進行之際,巴布亞新畿內的人民將需要國際社會的大量支援,才能度過這場悲慘的生命和財產損失。