[Today’s Prayer] The number of people believed to be buried due to a large-scale landslide in Papua New Guinea is increasing significantly.

According to Reuters, about 300 people were initially estimated to have died in a landslide that occurred on the 24th (local time) in a highland village in Engaju, about 600 km northwest of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, a South Pacific island north of Australia.

The number of people believed to be buried continues to increase.

The United Nations estimated that more than 670 people were killed on the 26th, but Papua New Guinea authorities announced on the 28th that more than 2,000 people were believed to have been buried.

Papua New Guinea authorities said more than 7,900 people living near the site of the deadly landslide were at risk as rocks and debris continued to move down the hill.

(Omitted)

Serhan Aktoprak, from the UN's International Organization for Migration, told the BBC: "Water is flowing between the ground and the rubble and the bodies are starting to decompose. I can't imagine the impact if we can't retrieve the 2,000 bodies buried under this land."

Rescue efforts are also taking place slowly due to the poor conditions. The Papua New Guinea government is trying to mobilize the military and deploy heavy equipment to the site, but is experiencing difficulties as roads are blocked due to the rugged terrain.

For this reason, local residents are trying to recover victims by relying on shovels or sticks or digging into the ground with their bare hands, AFP reported.

(Omitted)

"It (the landslide) is still very active. The mountain continues to fall," Sandis Chaka, Anga province's provincial administrator, told the BBC. “Movement of rocks and debris continues, making search, rescue and recovery operations challenging,” he added.

Debris was 10 meters high in some areas and chunks of debris were still moving down the mountainside. Authorities notified nearby communities of the danger and urged residents to evacuate.

As fighting between tribes continues in Enga Province, some tribes are attempting to obstruct humanitarian aid to the affected areas.

“Many houses are burning,” said Serhan Aktoprak, head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Papua New Guinea. “Men in the area are taking up arms and continuing to fight, while women and children are fleeing.”

The Papua New Guinea government is mobilizing security forces and carrying out a relief convoy operation to safely transport relief goods to the affected areas.

Source : News

[Isaiah 33:2]

O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.

Amen!

Lord, Papua New Guinea is in tribulation. Please deliver them with your arm and bring salvation to Papua New Guinea!

Please help Papua New Guinea to realize that the Lord's arm is holding and guiding them in difficult situations!

In these challenging times, would you renew them to not rely on the things of this world but let them be children of the Lord who look to you!

Please pour out grace upon this land and let the salvation of Jesus Christ spread widely throughout Papua New Guinea!