‘Our hearts are heavy’: anguish as Papua New Guinea picks up the pieces after deadly landslide

Locals seen in Enga province, Papua New Guinea, during rescue efforts after the deadly landslide in late May. While the official search for bodies has ended, some relatives and families continue to search for their loved ones beneath the rubble. Photograph: Emmanuel Eralia/AFP/Getty Images

In a remote village in northern Papua New Guinea’s Enga province, the community has set up a haus krai, a traditional mourning house. It is located about 200 metres from the landslide that buried people while they slept on 24 May. The house honours those killed in a tragedy that has affected thousands of people.

Earlier this month authorities brought an end to the official recovery operation. Estimates of the number killed vary widely and few bodies have been recovered. The UN initially said 670 villagers died, though locals say the number is lower.