Papua New Guinea Landslide Aftermath
Survivors of a deadly landslide in Papua New Guinea are facing a significant risk of disease outbreak due to the contaminated water sources and lack of sufficient food supplies. The aftermath of the disaster has left the affected community in urgent need of assistance.
Risk of Disease Outbreak
The United Nations’ migration agency has reported that the water sources in the area have been tainted, with creeks flowing from the debris contaminated and posing a high risk of diseases such as diarrhea and malaria. The lack of water treatment methods further exacerbates the situation.
Urgent Needs
Residents of Yambeli and Lapak wards have been tirelessly searching for buried relatives amidst the overwhelming stench of dead bodies. The recovery efforts are hindered by the lack of clean water, purification tablets, and essential food supplies reaching the site.
Response Efforts
The UN’s International Organization for Migration has identified providing clean water, purification tablets, and lifesaving food supplies as top priorities. However, the main road to the community remains severed, delaying the delivery of aid to the affected area.
The confirmed death toll is expected to rise significantly once heavy machinery can access the disaster zone, which covers an area of 90,000 square meters. Challenges in mobilizing machinery and technical support are attributed to the risk of unstable land movement in the area.
