India Announces USD 1 Million Papua New Guinea After Landslide

India has announced immediate relief assistance worth $1 million for Papua New Guinea in the wake of last week’s devastating landslide in the Pacific Island nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences, and conveyed India’s readiness to extend all possible support and assistance to the country.

“​As a close friend and partner under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) and as a gesture of solidarity with the friendly people of Papua New Guinea, Government of India extends an immediate relief assistance of US$ 1 million to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement Tuesday.

Seeking international help, a government official from Papua New Guinea had told the United Nations on Sunday that more than 2,000 people are believed to have been buried alive in the landslide, the Associated Press reported. As of Monday, the remains of only five people had been recovered, the report noted, quoting information from local authorities. 

The MEA statement said India is committed to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and continues to be a responsible and steadfast responder.

“​India has firmly stood by Papua New Guinea during times of difficulty and devastation caused by natural disasters, as in the wake of the earthquake in 2018 and volcanic eruptions in 2019 and 2023,” it said. “An important pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI), announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in November 2019, is Disaster Risk Reduction and Management.”

The Mount Mungalo landslide took place in the highlands of the Enga province, situated in the northern part of Papua New Guinea. Rescue operations have been hampered by a host of challenging conditions on the ground, including the remote location of the village affected, the AP report said. Officials have said that the odds of finding survivors are slim nearly four days since the landslide occurred, noting that survivors are hesitant to use heavy machinery because they do not want the bodies of their relatives harmed. 

Local residents have been quoted as saying that the landslide hit a major road, which has led to fears about the potential economic impact of the tragedy. “This road is our lifeline, our connection to the outside world for trade and supplies, and now it’s gone,” said Oscar Fredrick, a resident, was quoted as saying in a report by The Guardian.