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01:21

The death toll from a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea (PNG) was estimated to surpass 670, an official from the International Organization for Migration told media on Sunday.

According to Serhan Aktoprak, the chief of the United Nations (UN) migration agency's mission in the South Pacific island country, the scale of the impact was much greater than initially thought.

In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Aktoprak said that more than 150 houses might be buried under the debris, six to eight meters deep, and over 670 people could have lost their lives.

The area surrounding the disaster zone in Enga province remains dangerous, with incessant rockfalls and continuous landslides prompting the evacuation of about 1,250 survivors, the official noted.

People gather at the site of a landslide in Maip Mulitaka in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province, May 24, 2024. /CFP

At around 3:00 a.m. local time on Friday, a massive landslide battered a remote region in Enga province, located over 600 kilometers northwest of PNG's capital Port Moresby.

The UN office in PNG issued a statement on Saturday, offering its deepest condolences to the victims and their families in the Lagaip Porgera District of Enga province.

"While the total number of casualties is yet to be determined, preliminary reporting indicates the death toll may be significant. Search and rescue efforts are underway, although continuous landslides and falling boulders are affecting these efforts," said a spokesperson.

(With input from Xinhua)