Papua New Guinea disaster - IOM 28 May 2024
/
2:24
/
MP4
/
271.1 MB
Transcripts
Download

Edited News | IOM

Papua New Guinea disaster - IOM 28 May 2024

Papua New Guinea landslide response hampered by complex conditions

Efforts to rescue those impacted by the deadly landslide in Papua New Guinea that has claimed an estimated 2,000 lives have been complicated by fears that the waterlogged ground could shift again. “We don’t want a disaster on top of the current one,” said Itayi Viriri, UN migration agency (IOM) regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific, on Tuesday.

Reports from the National Disaster Center indicate that up to 2,000 people were buried under mud and rubble after a massive landslide last Friday at 3am “when most people were probably sleeping”, said Itayi Viriri, UN migration agency (IOM) regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific.

The landslide engulfed the area, burying homes, infrastructure and farmland under up to eight metres of soil and debris. Only six bodies have been recovered so far. 

Speaking to journalists in Geneva from Bangkok via Zoom, the IOM spokesperson highlighted the vulnerability of those affected by the disaster: “A lot of the people who have been affected by this landslide actually moved to this area after escaping tribal conflicts in other parts of the province of Enga. So these are people who are already displaced who are now having to move to other locations.”

Dramatic video from the scene of the disaster showed locals and rescue workers struggling to shift a wall of mud and rubble using shovels. But safe access continues to be extremely difficult. “Just today, this morning, one of the main thoroughfares leading to this area, a bridge there collapsed. And now they have to fix it to make sure that all the convoys that are going to provide support have access.”

The UN agency warned that with so many bodies still to be recovered from beneath the rubble, there are concerns that underground water flowing down the mountain will contaminate local drinking water sources. 

Most of the area’s sources of clean drinking water are now inaccessible because of the landslide.  

“What is needed now, obviously, is access to clean water; quite a lot of the water that normally the community would access is already under rubble,” Mr. Viriri said. “So, providing that along with, food, of course, clothing, shelter items, kitchen utensils, anything that will try and alleviate the hardship that the people are facing right now.”

Heavy rains continue to hamper the relief effort, however. “This landslide that happened on Friday had not happened before in this area so it’s hard to say if it will happen again,” the IOM spokesperson said. “The soil is unsteady…and you’ve seen some of the videos of the water coming out in some of the rubble, so that makes it even more so. Yes, unfortunately we have to consider that it might happen again.”

ends

STORY: Papua New Guinea landslide update - IOM

TRT: 2’23”

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 28 MAY 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Exterior wide: UN Geneva flag alley

2. Wide: Press conference room, UN Geneva.

3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Itayi Viriri, UN migration agency (IOM) regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific (from Bangkok via Zoom): “The National Disaster Center has estimated that up to 2000 people are still buried under the rubble after the massive landslide that took place on Friday at 3am when most people were probably sleeping.

4. Wide: journalists seated and TV camera operators in press room.

5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Itayi Viriri, UN migration agency (IOM) regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific (from Bangkok via Zoom) “A lot of the people who have been affected by this landslide actually moved to this area after escaping tribal conflicts in other parts of the province of Enga. So, these are people who are already displaced who are now having to move to other locations.”

6. Medium: journalists in the Press room.

7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Itayi Viriri, UN migration agency (IOM) regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific (from Bangkok via Zoom): “What is needed now, obviously, is access to clean water; quite a lot of the water that normally the community would access is already under rubble. So, providing that along with, food, of course, clothing, shelter items, kitchen utensils, anything that will try and alleviate the hardship that the people are facing right now.”

8. Medium: Journalists seated in the Press room.

9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Itayi Viriri, UN migration agency (IOM) regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific (from Bangkok via Zoom): And the reality also is that access to the area for, you know, Government and other agencies is quite difficult. Just today, this morning, one of the main thoroughfares leading to this area, a bridge there collapsed. And now they have to fix it to make sure that all the convoys that are going to provide support have access.”

10. Medium: journalists seated amid microphones.

11. SOUNDBITE (English): Itayi Viriri, UN migration agency (IOM) regional spokesperson for Asia and the Pacific (from Bangkok via Zoom): “This landslide that happened on Friday had not happened before in this area so it’s hard to say if it will happen again. But with the continued heavy rains in the vicinity obviously everything is – the soil is unsteady – and all the rubble is still (seeing) some movement and you’ve seen some of the videos of the water coming out in some of the rubble, so that makes it even more so. (So) yes, unfortunately we have to consider that it might happen again.”

12. Medium shot: Journalist in the Press room.

Additional images from PNG here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qvqnOum0R2Lg0FzyeHnXRvoRbKCLDu4Z


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 1
Download Papua New Guinea disaster - IOM 28 May 2024
Download

Similar Stories

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR

Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh ENG FRA

Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans ENG FRA

The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.  

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida. 

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives

Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine ENG

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA  15 July 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA 15 July 2025 ENG FRA

Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence  in Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence in Haiti ENG FRA

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement. 

Gaza Deir Al Balah killings OHCHR - WHO 11 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO , OHCHR

Gaza Deir Al Balah killings OHCHR - WHO 11 July 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: ‘Unacceptable’ choice between getting shot or getting fed – UN humanitarians 

Following the deaths of several children in an Israeli strike on Palestinians waiting in line for nutritional supplements in central Gaza on Thursday, UN humanitarians have once again condemned the killings of people at aid distribution sites in the enclave. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on recent violence in Kenya

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on recent violence in Kenya ENG FRA

At the United Nations bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made the following comments on the recent violence in Kenya.

US tariffs impact - ITC

1

1

1

Edited News | ITC

US tariffs impact - ITC ENG FRA

US tariffs uncertainty hurts world economy, with poorest countries hit hardest – top UN economist

A new US decision to further delay the end of a 90-day pause on tariffs is bad for business, a top UN economist said on Tuesday.