Over 300 people buried after huge landslide hits PNG: media

Local media reported on Saturday that more than 300 people were buried after a massive landslide hit a remote region in northern Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Aimos Akem, a member of parliament for the Lagaip open electorate in Enga province, confirmed to the PNG Post-Courier that the landslide buried more than 300 people and 1,182 houses in Maip Muritaka Rural LLG.

At around 3:00 a.m. local time on Friday, a massive landslide crushed Kaokalam village in Enga province, located over 600 km northwest of PNG's capital Port Moresby.

Though the figure has not been confirmed by local authorities, local residents told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the death toll rose above 100.