People gather at the site of a landslide in Maip Mulitaka in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province on Friday. Pics/AFP (Text/AP)
The landslide hit Kaokalam village in Enga province, about 600 kilometers (370 miles) northwest of the capital, Port Moresby, at roughly 3 am, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported
Residents said estimates of the death toll were above 100, although authorities have not confirmed that figure. Villagers said the number of people killed could be much higher
Prime Minister James Marape said authorities were responding and he would release information about the destruction and loss of life when it was available
"I am yet to be fully briefed on the situation. However, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the landslide disaster in the early hours of this morning," Marape said in a statement
"We are sending in disaster officials, PNG Defense Force, and the Department of Works and Highways to ... start relief work, recovery of bodies, and reconstruction of infrastructure," he added
Australia, a near neighbor and Papua New Guinea's most generous provider of foreign aid, said the government stood ready to help
"We send our heartfelt sympathies to the people of PNG following the landslide at Kaokalam village," Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong posted on social media
Elizabeth Laruma, who runs a women's business association in Porgera, a town in the same province near the Porgera Gold Mine, said houses were flattened when the side of a mountain gave way
The landslide blocked the road between Porgera and the village, she said, raising concerns about the town's supply of fuel and goods
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