This Sunday, a UN agency estimated that The landslide killed more than 670 people. that a remote village in northern Papua New Guinea was buried early Friday morning, Australian state television reported. ABC.

Person responsible for International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Papua New Guinea, Serhan Aktoprak said ABC that, according to new estimates, More than 150 houses were buried under a layer of stones and earth six to eight meters deep and they fear more than 670 people have died.

Aktoprak said that the disaster zone in the village of Kaokalam, 600 kilometers from the capital Port Moresby, remains dangerous due to the risk of new avalanches, so they are working to evacuate about 1,250 survivors.

“My colleagues they had to flee from this place due to the growing danger, as the stones continue to fall without stopping and the ground continues to slide,” the head of IOM in the country pointed out, adding that this, together with the large amount of earth that has already fallen, is putting pressure on houses in the area, necessitating evacuation.

The United Nations delegation to Papua New Guinea said this Sunday in a statement sent EFE that an emergency response team has been deployed to the village where the tragedy occurred discovered three lifeless bodies and was able to provide medical care to six survivors, including a child.

About 4,000 people officially live in the avalanche area.although authorities believe the number of casualties is higher because the town where it happened is a refuge for locals fleeing conflicts and tribal clashes in nearby villages.

Most of Kaokalam village remains. buried under a layer of stones and stones six to eight meters thick The avalanche affected an area of ​​more than 200 square kilometers, including about 150 kilometers of the province’s main highway, hampering rescue efforts and assistance to survivors.

In addition, other access areas to the village are provided. cut off by previous landslides, therefore, you can only get there by helicopter or SUV.

Footage from the scene of the disaster was published on social networks. a vast area of ​​rocks and dirt torn from the hilland neighbors gather their belongings and explore the area buried under the landslide in search of survivors.

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The affected area usually suffers from heavy rains and floods, and landslides are not unusual in a country where, despite its wealth of natural resources, much of its more than nine million people live in extreme poverty and are isolated due to a lack of communications and infrastructure, especially in remote places such as the current disaster .

(EFE)