More than 670 people killed in Papua New Guinea landslide, UN migration agency estimates

The initial death toll after the landslide Friday was set at 100 or more, and by Sunday only five bodies and the leg of a sixth person had been recovered.

Published: May 26, 2024 9:10am

Updated: May 26, 2024 11:43am

The United Nations  International Organization for Migration on Sunday said it estimates more than 670 people were killed in a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea.

U.N. agency head Serhan Aktoprak said the new death toll was based on calculations by local officials who said that more than 150 homes had been buried during the landslide on Friday. The estimate had been 60 homes.

"They are estimating that more than 670 people (are) under the soil at the moment," Aktoprak told The Associated Press

The initial death toll after the landslide Friday was set at 100 or more, and by Sunday only five bodies and the leg of a sixth person had been recovered.

In addition to the 150 buried homes, around 250 other houses have been condemned due to the landslide, and around 1,250 people are homeless, according to officials.

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