The Possibility Of Life Victims Due To Landslides In Papua New Guinea More Than 100 People Due To Landslides

Illustration of landslides. (ANTARA/HO-Perkab Purwakarta)

JAKARTA - A devastating landslide hit a remote village in Papua New Guinea on Friday morning. The death toll is thought to have reached more than 100 people. The landslide occurred in Kaokalam Village in Enga Province, about 600 km northwest of Port Moresby, at around 03.00 local time (Thursday at 24.00 WIB), the American television network ABC News reported. Residents reported that the death toll was likely to pass 100, although the official figure had not been confirmed by the authorities. Elizabeth Laruma, chairman of Porgera Women at the Business Association, said the disaster occurred when people were "sleeping in the early hours of the morning and the whole village was swept away." "From my guess, there are more than 100 people buried underground," he added.

The landslide also blocked the road leading to the city of Porgera, which is the site of a large gold mine.