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Papua New Guinea leader Marape says amazing weather condition causing disasters

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape on Wednesday blamed extraordinary. rains and changes to weather patterns for multiple disasters. in the Pacific Island country this year, including a landslide. last week which may have killed thousands.

Parts of a mountain in the Maip-Mulitaka area in Enga. province in PNG's north collapsed in the early hours of Friday. and Marape stated more than 2,000 people are approximated to have. died, with up to 70,000 individuals residing in the location affected by. the disaster.

Our individuals because village went to sleep for the last time,. not understanding they would breathe their last breath as they were. sleeping in harmony. Nature threw a dreadful landslip,. submerged or covered the town, Marape informed parliament on. Wednesday.

Natural disasters have actually cost the nation more than 500. million kina ($ 126 million) this year, before the landslide at. Enga, he said.

This year, we had amazing rainfall that has caused. flooding in river locations, water level increase in seaside areas and. landslips in a few locations, Marape stated.

We have dealt with amazing weather patterns and modifications. from dryness to dampness, he added.

Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso said: The environment modification. results that are here now is not simply in Enga, for the last two. months we have actually seen extraordinary disasters throughout the. nation.

Defence Minister Billy Joseph arrived in Enga on Wednesday. with relief supplies including food, water, blankets and tents. supplied by Australia on 2 Australian military airplane.

Australia's High Commissioner John Feakes said in Enga more. airplane loads, with supplies and Australian rescue workers and. technical teams would arrive in coming days, the PNG. Post-Courier reported.

The United States has pledged 2 million kina ($ 506,800.00). for emergency shelter and logistics support, its embassy stated.

Authorities have raised concerns about the outbreak of. illness amid warnings of additional landslides. Countless. people have been purchased to leave.

SLOW RESCUE

Rescue teams have been slow to reach the website since of the. treacherous surface and tribal discontent in the remote area,. requiring the military to escort convoys of relief teams.

The arrival of heavy machinery from the PNG Defence Force. has been postponed by damage to a bridge along the path. The U.N. said repairs must be ended up by Thursday, when 5-10 makers. employed locally will likewise show up on website.

The landslide has actually likewise cut off access to the Porgera gold. mine, run by Barrick Gold through Barrick Niugini. Ltd, its joint endeavor with China's Zijin Mining. The miner said its operations were not impacted.

Marape said the government was dealing with Barrick to. resume the road. Barrick stated it had actually used the government more. heavy equipment at the slip site.

The U.N. migration agency has cautioned of an outbreak of. transmittable illness if immediate steps are not taken.

Every passing minute, bodies buried under the debris are. decomposing, with water squeezed between the ground and the large. particles covering an area of 3 to 4 football fields is. continuing to leakage, this is presenting a high health threat, Serhan. Aktoprak, the head of the company's PNG mission said in an. emailed statement.

(source: Reuters)