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1440 Daily Digest

South Pacific Landslide

At least 2,000 people are feared to have been buried alive in a landslide in the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea. The unverified estimate from the nation's government, reported yesterday, is roughly triple the UN's estimate of 670 people killed in the landslide since Friday. At least 150 homes have been buried in debris, and five bodies have been recovered so far.


The difference in the estimated casualties reflects the challenges facing rescue crews who are reportedly struggling to reach the remote mountainous Enga region in northern Papua New Guinea. The landslide, which swept across the village of Yambali as most residents were asleep, blocked a main highway to the area and caused the ground to shift. Long-running tribal feuds in the region also pose safety risks for aid convoys, with soldiers having to provide security. 


Papua New Guinea, which lies north of Australia, is still investigating the cause of the landslide. See footage of the disaster here.

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