More than 2,000 people are now feared dead after a huge landslide buried a village in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, Australia’s nearest neighbour. Rescue efforts are being stymied by the fact the land is still sliding and moving. The disaster has cut the main road into the mountainous region.
PNG’s mountainous highlands are home to millions of people, living at least 1,500 metres above sea level. People here rely on food gardens, often cultivated on hillslopes. Landslides are common.
As Australia and other nations send aid to help the rescue effort and survivors, attention will turn to whether fatal landslides can be prevented.
