A recent landslip in the highlands of Papua New Guinea has tragically resulted in the deaths of at least 21 individuals. The disaster unfolded in the early hours, around 2 a.m., when the massive landslide swept through the village of Kukas in Enga province, burying homes and residents as they slept.
While official police reports confirm 21 fatalities, Enga Governor Peter Ipatas indicated that local sources suggest the death toll could be as high as 30, with 18 bodies already recovered. Efforts to reach Governor Ipatas and local police for further comment remained unsuccessful.
The United Nations humanitarian adviser for Papua New Guinea, Mate Bagossy, has yet to issue a statement regarding the incident. This catastrophe comes just over a year after another significant landslide in May last year in the same Enga province, which the United Nations estimated conservatively killed 670 villagers. The Papua New Guinea government, however, reported over 2,000 people were buried in that earlier tragedy.