Enga landslide — Papua New Guinea
Above: Support activities for children affected by the Mulitaka landslide. Photo: Save the Children PNG
On 24 May 2024, at approximately 3am, the Maip Mulitaka (Mulitaka) District of Enga Province, Papua New Guinea, experienced a significant landslide. An estimated 1,400 households and 7,850 persons have been directly affected. Reports also indicated that power lines were cut, clean water inaccessible, and that the area remained unstable. The remote location and damaged roads make access difficult.
Following an assessment of the affected areas, local authorities announced that Yambeli Ward was “totally devastated.” Houses were buried under up to 8 metres of earth. Most people were asleep when the landslide occurred, raising the fatality count. An estimated 200 square kilometres were affected; this includes 200 metres of the main access road between the provincial capital of Wabag and the affected area, disconnecting Porgera and surrounding areas from the rest of the country. A further 10,000 people from surrounding villages received evacuation orders. Of those directly impacted by the landslide, 42% are under the age of 16. Over 150 structures have been destroyed, including an elementary school.
The AHP Response
On 29 May, the AHP PNG Emergency Response Fund was activated to enable Australian NGOs to meet the immediate needs of affected communities. DFAT confirmed an initial AU $400,000 of funding through the PNG Emergency Response Fund for CARE, CAN DO, Save the Children and World Vision for the initial three months of immediate assistance.
This activation expands the support from the AHP prepositioned funding by adding an additional AU $800,000 to extend the response to a 12-month period, to address both response and early recovery activities.
The AHP response is being led by CARE, CAN DO and World Vision.
The response focuses on emergency food relief and longer-term food security, safe and adequate shelter, and restoration of damaged water supplies, and psychosocial support for survivors.
Protection is a key concern on the ground. Enga is a patriarchal society with high rates of gender-based violence and sorcery accusation related violence. Polygamy is also a common practice in Enga. AHP partners are integrating a gender and protection focus through all their response work, to improve safety of women and children, and their fair access to humanitarian relief, including WASH facilities and other key services.
AHP partners are also working alongside provincial disaster authorities to strengthen their capacity to respond.