UNDP / PAPUA NEW GUINEA LANDSLIDE

United Nations agencies, in close coordination with and in support of the provincial and national authorities, are spearheading search and recovery efforts in the Enga Province, at the Papua New Guinea’s Highlands, after a devastating landslide early last Friday that is expected to have caused hundreds of casualties and widespread destruction. UNDP

• Video Length: 00:03:30
• Production Date: 30 May 2024
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - UNDP
• Subject Topical: NATURAL DISASTERS
• Geographic Subject: PAPUA NEW GUINEA
• MAMS Id: 3213012
• Parent Id: 3213012
• Alternate Title: unifeed240530f

Description

STORY: UNDP / PAPUA NEW GUINEA LANSLIDE
TRT: 3:30
SOURCE: UNDP
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: NATS / ENGLISH / ENGA
LOCATION: PAPAU NEW GUINEA
DATELINE: MAY 27, 2024 / RECENT

Shotlist

ENGA PROVINCE, PAPAU NEW GUINEA, RECENT:
1.Aerial shot, aftermath of landslide
2.Aerial shot, destroyed houses and community members walking around
3.Various aerial shots, aftermath of landslide
4.Various aerial shots, community members walking around destroyed area
5.Community member looking at aftermath of landslide
6.SOUNDBITE (Enga) Yuri Yapara, Community Leader:
“Us the living need the basics in life to continue living. Gardens and houses have all been destroyed, hence we need food to eat and houses to sleep. Even our good places to build houses have been destroyed and we urgently need help and if there is none coming or help delayed, the lives of the ones living are in danger.”
7.Various shots, community members digging
8.Various shots, community member mourning
9.SOUNDBITE (Enga) Frida Yeahkal, Landlslide Survivor:
“Countless properties like houses and cars have been destroyed. We are lost for words. If this disaster was man-made, we would find ways to deal with it, but it is a natural disaster so there is nothing much we can do, but watch helplessly and sincerely ask for the government and other organizations to assist us in any way they can.”
10.Various shots, community members digging
11.Community member exhausted after digging
12.SOUNDBITE (English) Mate Bagossy, Humanitarian Coordination Specialist & Humanitarian Advisor, UNDP Papua New Guinea:
“So right now, the priorities is, on the one hand, to continue the search and rescue, or rather, retrieval operations of the bodies and on the other, to provide the shelter, food, wash assistance for humanitarian assistance to the survivor populations. And also, another priority is to ensure, that a safe zone is created and other populations, surrounding populations who might be at risk, can be evacuated to safer zones because the landslide is still, progressing and the entire zone is, dangerous.”
13.Various shots, diggers moving a boulder in the mud
14.Various shots, Woman digging through mud
15.Various shots, Diggers searching for bodies
16.Wide shot, diggers searching for bodies

Storyline

United Nations agencies, in close coordination with and in support of the provincial and national authorities, are spearheading search and recovery efforts in the Enga Province, at the Papua New Guinea’s Highlands, after a devastating landslide early last Friday (24 May) that is expected to have caused hundreds of casualties and widespread destruction.

The disaster buried homes, infrastructure, livestock and farmland under up to eight meters of soil and debris, with anticipated rains risking to further exacerbate the already dire search conditions and raising fears of additional landslides.

Access and communication have been severely disrupted due to the collapse of a key bridge in the nearby Western Highlands, temporarily challenging the delivery of fuel and supplies via road. Various UN agencies and international partners, coordinated on the ground by the Disaster Management Team Secretariat, hosted by UNDP, are supporting affected communities and working with UNICEF, IOM, UNFPA and UNDP.

They are providing emergency support, conducting needs assessments, and facilitating international aid and supplies reach affected communities.

Immediate needs include clean water, food, shelter, medical care, and psychosocial support, with concerns over contaminated drinking water emphasizing the urgency. UN entities are collaborating with provincial disaster management bodies and bilateral partners to deploy geotechnical engineers for essential geohazard assessments.

Beyond immediate relief, UNDP is focusing on long-term recovery and resilience-building. This involves reducing tribal and communal conflict, enhancing climate adaptation and preparedness, and strengthening community resilience. Comprehensive efforts will require substantial international support to maintain attention on the plight of Papua New Guinea and its Highlands, a region facing numerous challenges.