The number of those buried in the landslide in Papua New Guinea has exceeded 2,000

The government of Papua New Guinea announced that as a result of a widespread landslide that occurred three days ago in the country, at least 2,000 people have been buried under soil and mud. The country's Natural Disaster Office has provided the new casualty figures to the United Nations. In recent days, the death toll was reported to be less than 700. The difference between the new figures and previous assessments indicates that determining the exact number of victims is very difficult due to the remoteness of the affected areas. The last nationwide census in the country was conducted in 2000, and a significant portion of the population lives in mountainous and remote villages. Given the extent of the landslide, sending aid and finding and rescuing individuals who may still be alive is nearly impossible, and three days after the disaster, there is little hope for their rescue. The landslide occurred in the early hours of Friday when most people were asleep. The Defense Minister of Papua New Guinea stated on Monday, June 7, that the population of six remote and mountainous villages in the Enga region affected by the landslide was about four thousand before the disaster. More than 150 homes and their residents have been buried under mud. The height of the ground subsidence in some areas is equivalent to that of a two-story building. More than three days after the natural disaster, those who have survived are using simple tools such as shovels or their bare hands to try to clear the rubble and mud to find the bodies of their family members. According to local officials, only the bodies of five people have been found so far. According to UN aid agencies, the first burial ceremony for some of the victims was held on Monday. Sending excavation equipment and heavy machinery is difficult due to the mountainous nature of the area. Additionally, due to violent conflicts between tribes in the area, rescuers must go to the disaster site under military protection and return to the capital each night, which is about 60 kilometers away from the disaster site. A UN official stated that during violent clashes on Saturday, eight people were killed and about 30 homes were set on fire. Aid units on their way to the affected areas have observed the remains of burned houses still emitting smoke. According to a UN official, the first excavation machine arrived in the affected areas on Sunday evening. One resident told Reuters, 'People still do not know exactly which and how many of their family members are buried under the mud and rubble because not all family members are always at home at the same time. People usually move between relatives' houses, and no one knows who was where at the time of the disaster.' The Defense Minister of Papua New Guinea stated that the operational commander of the ministry, with the help of Australian military forces, reached the affected area within 24 hours, and an engineering unit from the Ministry of Defense and a helicopter are stationed in the area to evacuate people from dangerous areas. The Australian government announced on Monday that it would provide nearly $1.66 million in aid to Papua New Guinea and send experts to the area to assist in search and rescue operations. The Chinese government, which has been trying to expand its relations with island nations in the Pacific in recent years, has also announced that it will assist Papua New Guinea.