ACN asks for prayers after landslide in Papua New Guinea
The landslide was caused by particularly severe rain. The death toll could be in the thousands.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has received urgent and distressing reports from its local partners in the Diocese of Wabag in Papua New Guinea. A landslide occurred in the early hours of Friday, May 24th. This natural disaster has devastated communities in the diocese.
According to information from local partners, approximately 3,950 people lived in the affected area, which is about two and a half hours from the diocesan headquarters. “The landslide, which struck at 3:00 AM local time, has flattened the village of Kaokalam, burying 178 people and destroying more than 255 houses,” the message said, adding that representatives of the diocese went to the affected area as soon as they could and were able to deliver basic emergency aid.
As recovery efforts continue, the number of confirmed fatalities is still rising. Many families have lost people, though some have managed to escape.
Koakalam is only one of the communities affected. Other communities in other dioceses also suffered the effects of the landslide, and the country’s total death toll could be in the thousands.
Marco Mencaglia, ACN’s director of projects, made an urgent appeal for prayers. “Our prayers and support are invaluable in helping our brothers and sisters in Papua New Guinea at this difficult time.”
Despite these challenges, the Diocese of Wabag has responded swiftly, providing food and medical supplies to those directly affected. Minor injuries are being treated locally, and more severe cases have been transported to health centers and to the Wabag Hospital.
The landslide has created debris of up to 25 feet deep across an area of 77 square miles, “which was making relief efforts difficult by cutting off road access. But people of good will helped us to reach the spot with our supplies, food, and medicine,” the message explains.
Initial estimates put the death toll in Koakalam at around 100, but this has now increased to 178 and may continue to rise as more bodies are recovered. “We suspect that it’s not only a massive landslide, but also an earthquake, because of the big creaks from the rocky mountain to the nearby river,” members of the diocesan curia explained.
They expressed gratitude to ACN for its condolence and solidarity. “Thank you very much for the messages of condolence, for standing with us in solidarity, and for the heartfelt concern for us in your prayers and blessings,” they said.
—Maria Lozano
