Local authorities believe that approximately 670 people died from a landslide in Papua New Guinea, a local U.N. official said on May 26th.
The landslide occurred in Enga Province, located in the country’s Highlands region, on May 24th and buried several homes and buildings under “several meters of debris.”
Local officials said the landslide’s impact is much greater than initially thought, and the official said that at least 150 homes are still believed to be buried.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by difficult terrain, and the land around the area still remains dangerous and unstable, with only five bodies recovered so far. Furthermore, the operation has also been complicated by security concerns over tribal warfare in the province.
