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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — Residents of Yambali village in Papua New Guinea are urgently appealing for aid after a catastrophic landslide last Friday left the area in ruins. The United Nations has estimated that 670 villagers were killed and over 1,000 displaced by the disaster.
A massive landslide composed of boulders, earth, and splintered trees destroyed Yambali, located in the remote highlands of the South Pacific nation. The landslide occurred when a limestone mountainside sheared away, devastating everything in its path.
"When our enemies attack us, there are warnings and alerts before the attack," said Frida Yeahkal, a local resident affected by the disaster. "This natural disaster took us by surprise and shocked everyone. It destroyed everything we had."
Yeahkal and other locals have expressed fears that the area remains unstable and have called on the government for help in relocating residents to safer areas. "Gardens and houses have all been destroyed, so we need food to eat and houses to sleep," said Yuri Yapara, a community leader. "Even the good places to build houses have been destroyed and we urgently need help and if there is none coming or help is delayed, the lives of the ones living are in danger."
Authorities in Papua New Guinea are actively searching for safer ground to relocate the thousands of survivors who remain at risk from a potential second landslide. Emergency responders have indicated that up to 8,000 people might need to be evacuated from the area.
The United Nations estimates that 670 villagers died in the disaster, which immediately displaced 1,650 survivors. However, the Papua New Guinea government has informed the United Nations that it believes more than 2,000 people may have been buried in the landslide.
Aid from Australia to help those in need has arrived in Papua New Guinea and was seen being loaded into trucks on Wednesday. As the search for safer ground continues, the urgency of the situation highlights the critical need for immediate humanitarian assistance to support the affected residents.
