Papua New Guinea villagers begin mourning ceremonies after massive landslide

Papua New Guinea’s government estimates that 2,000 people may be buried underneath a massive landslide that struck a highland settlement in the central Enga province in the early hours of May 24. After several days of frantic digging with makeshift tools, only six bodies have been pulled from under the rubble. FRANCE 24’s special correspondents Constantin Simon, Aruna Popuri and William de Tamaris report.

Supplies of food and medicine began arriving on Wednesday, May 29 at the scene of a deadly landslide that decimated an entire village in Papua New Guinea, where aid workers discovered children rendered speechless by the shock of the disaster.

According to Papua New Guinea’s government, some 2,000 people may buried under the mudslide that destroyed the highland settlement in the central Enga province on May 24.

After several days of frantic digging with makeshift tools, only six bodies have been recovered.

With rescue teams abandoning hope of finding survivors under the metres of mud and rubble, mourning locals have begun to hold funeral ceremonies, collective events known locally as “haus krai”, which can last for weeks.