Landslide buried more than 2,000 people, says Papua New Guinea

Melbourne: A Papua New Guinea government official has told the United Nations more than 2,000 people were believed to have been buried alive by Friday’s landslide and has formally asked for international help.

The government figure is roughly triple the UN estimate of 670 killed by the landslide in the South Pacific island nation’s mountainous interior. The remains of only six people had been recovered so far.

In a letter seen by The Associated Press to the United Nations resident coordinator dated Sunday, the acting director of the South Pacific island nation’s National Disaster Centre Luseta Laso Mana said the landslide “buried more than 2000 people alive” and caused “major destruction” at Yambali village in the Enga province.

Estimates of the casualties have varied widely since the disaster occurred, and it was not immediately clear how officials arrived at the number of people affected.

The International Organisation for Migration, which is working closely with the government and taking a leading role in the international response, has not changed its estimated death toll of 670 released on Sunday, pending new evidence.

“We are not able to dispute what the government suggests but we are not able to comment on it,” said Serhan Aktoprak, the chief of the UN migrant agency’s mission in Papua New Guinea. “As time goes in such a massive undertaking, the number will remain fluid,” Aktoprak added. The death toll of 670 was based on calculations by Yambali village and Enga provicincial officials that more than 150 homes had been buried by the landslide.