Three people are dead and one missing after a landslide occurred around midnight on Friday December 29, in Matap village in the Leron-Wantoat area of Markham District, Morobe Province.
Bodies of the three deceased have been recovered. However, the fourth, a grade 11 student at Markham Secondary School, is still missing and is believed to be buried under the debris.
His mother and family have gathered at the disaster site, covered in mud as a sign of mourning, waiting as other villagers dig through the rubble of soil and debris to find the son.
Villagers say the landslide hit twice, the first at midnight and the second at 5 am.
Eight people have been admitted to the Wantoat Health Centre, while two in critical condition were transferred to the ANGAU Memorial Hospital.
Director for the Morobe Provincial Disaster Office, Charlie Masange, told Loop PNG that officers from the provincial disaster office travelled to the disaster site in Matap this morning to assess the situation.
Masange says the officers will support and provide a brief on the situation to guide the provincial disaster office on the next course of action to assist those affected by the disaster